J 


THE  FAVORITE  LIBRARY. 


ILLUSTRATED 

Natural  History 

For  Young  People 


BY  THE 

Rev.  J.  G.  WOOD,  M.  A.,  F.  L.  S. 

AUTHOR  OF  “THE  NEW  ILLUSTRATED  NATURAL  HISTORY,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


BOSTON: 

DeWolfe,  Fiske  & Co. 


LIST  OF  BOOKS  IN  LIBRARY. 


Lives  of  the  Presidents. 

Wood’s  Natural  History. 
Child’s  Life  of  Christ. 
Robinson  Crusoe. 

Swiss  Family  Robinson. 

Grimm’s  Fairy  Tales. 
Hans  Andersen’s  Fairy  Tales. 
Black  Beauty. 

Mother  Goose  Rhymes. 
Aunt  Martha’s  Corner  Cupboard. 
Arabian  Night’s  Entertainments. 
Alice  in  Wonderland. 


Copyright,  1898, 

BY 

DeWolfe,  fiske  & Co. 


NATURAL  HISTORY 


QUADRUMANA;  or,  THE  MONKEY  TRIBE. 

THIS  section  includes  the  apes,  baboons,  and  monkeys.  The 
name  is  given  to  these  animals  because,  in  addition  to  two 
hands  like  those  of  man,  their  feet  are  also  formed  like  hands, 
and  are  capable  of  grasping  the  branches  among  which  most 
monkeys  pass  their  lives. 

Apes  are  placed  at  the  head  because  their  instinct  is  mostly 
superior  to  that  of  the  baboons  and  monkeys,  of  whom  the  former 
are  usually  sullen  and  ferocious,  when  arrived  at  their  full  growth, 
and  the  latter  volatile  and  mischievous. 

The  first  in  order,  as  well  as  the  largest  of  the  Apes,  is  the 
enormous  ape  from  Western  Africa,  the  Gorilla.  The  first  modern 
writer  who  brought  the  gorilla  before  the  notice  of  the  public  seems 
to  be  Mr.  Bowdich,  the  well-known  African  traveller ; for  it  is 
evidently  of  the  gorilla  that  he  speaks  under  the  name  of  Ingheena. 
The  natives  of  the  Gaboon  and  its  vicinity  use  the  name  Gina, 
when  mentioning  the  gorilla.  The  many  tales  told  of  the  habits, 
the  gigantic  strength,  and  the  general  appearance  of  the  Ingheena, 
are  precisely  those  which  are  attributed  to  the  gorilla. 

As  to  the  habits  of  the  gorilla  many  conflicting  tales  have  been 
told,  and  many  have  been  the  consequent  controversies.  In  order 
to  settle  the  disputed  questions,  Mr.  Winwoode  Reade  undertook  a 
journey  to  Western  Africa,  where  he  remained  for  a considerable 


4 


GORILLA. 


time.  After  careful  investigation,  he  sums  up  the  history  of  the 
animal  as  follows : 

“ The  ordinary  cry  of  a gorilla  is  of  a plaintive  character,  but 
in  rage  it  is  a sharp,  hoarse  bark,  not  unlike  the  roar  of  the  tiger. 
Owing  to  the  negro  propensity  for  exaggeration,  I at  first  heard 
some  very  remarkable  stories  about  the  ferocity  of  the  gorilla ; but 
when  I questioned  the  real  hunters,  I found  them,  as  far  as  I could 
judge,  like  most  courageous  men,  modest,  and  rather  taciturn  than 
garrulous.  Their  account  of  the  ape’s  ferocity  scarcely  bears  out 
those  afforded  by  Drs.  Savage  and  Ford.  They  deny  that  the 
gorilla  ever  attacks  man  without  provocation.  ‘ Leave  Njina  alone,’ 
they  say,  ‘ and  Njina  leave  you  alone.’  But  when  the  gorilla, 
surprised  while  feeding  or  asleep,  is  suddenly  brought  to  bay,  he 
goes  round  in  a kind  of  half-circle,  keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
man,  and  uttering  a complaining,  uneasy  cry.  If  the  hunter  shoots 
at  him,  and  the  gun  misses  fire,  or  if  the  ape  is  wounded,  he  will 
sometimes  run  away ; sometimes,  however,  he  will  charge,  with  his 
fierce  look,  his  lowered  lip,  his  hair  falling  on  his  brow.  He  does 
not,  however,  appear  to  be  very  agile,  for  the  hunters  frequently 
escape  from  him. 

“His  charge  is  made  on  all-fours:  he  seizes  the  offensive 
object,  and,  dragging  it  into  his  mouth,  bites  it.  I heard  a great 
deal  about  men  being  killed  by  gorillas,  but  wherever  I tfent  I found 
that  the  story  retreated  to  tradition.  That  a man  might  be  killed 
by  a gorilla  I do  not  doubt  for  a moment,  but  that  a man  has  not 
been  killed  by  one  within  the  memory  of  the  living,  I can  most 
firmly  assert. 

“ I once  saw  a man  who  had  been  wounded  by  a gorilla.  It 
was  Etia,  the  Mchaga  hunter,  who  piloted  me  in  the  forests  of 
Ngumbi.  His  left  hand  was  completely  crippled,  and  the  marks  of 
teeth  were  visible  on  the  wrist.  I asked  him  to  show  me  exactly 


THE  GORILXA. 


6 


CHIMPANZEE—  ORANG-  O UTANG. 


how  the  gorilla  attacked  him.  I was  to  be  the  hunter,  he  the 
gorilla.  I pretended  to  shoot  at  him.  He  rushed  toward  me  on 
all-fours,  and  seizing  my  wrist  with  one  of  his  hands,  dragged  it  to 
his  mouth,  bit  it,  and  then  made  off.” 

The  Chimpanzee  is  a native  of  Western  Africa,  and  is  toler- 
ably common  on  the  banks  of  the  Gambia  and  in  Congo. 

Large  bands  of  these  formidable  apes  congregate  together  and 
unite  in  repelling  an  invader,  which  they  do  with  such  fury  and 
courage  that  even  the  dreaded  elephant  and  lion  are  driven  from 
their  haunts  by  their  united  efforts.  They  live  principally  on  the 
ground,  and,  as  their  name  imports,  spend  much  of  their  time  in 
caves  and  under  rocks.  Their  height  is  from  four  to  five  feet,  but 
they  are  said  not  to  reach  this  growth  until  nine  or  ten  years  of  age. 

Several  young  chimpanzees  have  been  imported  into  this  coun- 
try, and  have  shown  themselves  very  docile  and  gentle. 

The  Orang-Outang  inhabits  Borneo  and  Sumatra.  In  Borneo 
there  are  certainly  two  species  of  orang,  called  by  the  natives  the 
Mias-kassar  and  the  Mias-pappan.  Some  naturalists  suppose  that 
the  Sumatran  orang  is  also  a distinct  species.  This  is  the  largest 
of  all  the  apes,  as  it  is  said  that  orangs  have  been  obtained  from 
Borneo  considerably  above  five  feet  in  height.  The  strength  of 
this  animal  is  tremendous  ; a female  snapped  a strong  spear  asunder 
after  having  received  many  severe  wounds.  Its  arms  are  of  extra- 
ordinary length,  the  hands  reaching  the  ground  when  it  stands 
erect.  This  length  of  arm  is  admirably  adapted  for  climbing 
trees,  on  which  it  principally  resides.  Mr.  Brooke,  the  Rajah  of 
Sarawak,  gives  the  following  account  of  the  orangs  of  Borneo. 
There  appears  also  to  be  a third  species,  the  Mias-rombi : 

“The  orangs  are  as  dull  and  slothful  as  can  well  be  con- 
ceived, and  on  no  occasion,  when  pursuing  them,  did  they  move  so 
fast  as  to  preclude  my  keeping  pace  with  them  easily  through  a 


ORANG-OUTANG — OLD  AND  YOUNG, 


8 


C. HIM PA  N ZEE—  ORA  NG-  OUTANG. 


moderately  clear  forest ; and  even  when  obstructions  below  (such 
as  wading  up  to  the  neck)  allowed  them  to  get  away  some  distance, 
they  were  sure  to  stop  and  allow  us  to  come  up.  I never  observed 
the  slightest  attempt  at  defence  ; and  the  wood,  which  sometimes 
rattled  about  our  ears,  was  broken  by  their  weight,  and  not  thrown, 
as  some  persons  represent.  If  pushed  to  extremity,  however,  the 
pappan  could  not  be  otherwise  than  formidable ; and  one  unfortu- 
nate man,  who  with  a party  was  trying  to  catch  one  alive,  lost  two 
of  his  fingers,  besides  being  severely  bitten  on  the  face,  while  the 
animal  finally  beat  off  his  pursuers  and  escaped. 

“The  rude  hut  which  they  are  stated  to  build  in  the  trees 
would  be  more  properly  called  a seat  or  nest,  for  it  has  no  roof  or  cover 
of  any  sort.  The  facility  with  which  they  form  this  seat  is  curious  ; 
and  I had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  a wounded  female  weave  the 
branches  together,  and  seat  herself  in  a minute.  She  afterward 
received  our  fire  without  moving,  and  expired  in  her  lofty  abode, 
whence  it  cost  us  much  trouble  to  dislodge  her. 

“The  pappan  is  justly  named  Satyrus,  from  its  ugly  face  and 
disgusting  callosities.  The  adult  male  I killed  was  seated  lazily  on 
a tree.  His  proportions  were  enormous  relative  to  his  height ; he 
was  nearly  six  feet  in  stature. 

“The  great  difference  between  the  kassar  and  the  pappan  in 
size  would  prove  the  distinctness  of  the  two  species ; the  kassar 
being  a small,  slight  animal,  by  no  means  formidable  in  his  appear- 
ance, with  hands  and  feet  proportioned  to  the  body,  and  they  do 
not  approach  the  gigantic  extremities  of  the  pappan  either  in  size 
or  power  ; and  a moderately  strong  man  would  readily  overpower 
one,  when  he  would  not  stand  a shadow  of  a chance  with  the 
pappan.  ” 

I once  saw  a young  orang-outang.  It  was  rather  spidery  in 
its  development,  having  a very  small  and  very  rotund  body,  to 


AGILE  GIBBON— KAHAL. 


9 


which  were  affixed  very  long  and  slender  limbs.  Its  face  was  like 
that  of  a very  misanthropical  old  miser,  thoroughly  wearied  of  life, 
and  contemplating  surrounding  objects  with  a calm  but  derisive 
pity.  It  possessed  in  a high  degree  the  expressive  mobile  char- 
acter of  the  lips,  which  appeared  to  denote  its  feelings  much  in  the 
same  manner  as  do  the  ears  of  a horse. 

When  young,  the  orang-outang  is  very  docile,  and  has  been 
taught  to  make  its  own  bed,  and  to  handle  a cup  and  saucer  or  a 
spoon  with  tolerable  propriety.  For  the  former  occupation  it 
proved  itself  particularly  apt,  as  it  not  only  laid  its  own  bed- 
clothes smooth  and  comfortable,  but  exhibited  much  ingenuity  in 
stealing  blankets  from  other  beds,  which  it  added  to  its  own.  A 
young  orang  evinced  extreme  horror  at  the  sight  of  a small  tor- 
toise, and,  when  the  reptile  was  introduced  into  its  den,  stood 
aghast  in  a most  ludicrously  terrified  attitude,  with  its  eyes  intently 
fixed  on  the  frightful  object. 

The  Agile  Gibbon  is  a native  of  Sumatra.  It  derives  its 
name  of  Agile  from  the  wonderful  activity  it  displays  in  launching 
itself  through  the  air  from  branch  to  branch.  One  of  these  crea- 
tures sprang  with  the  greatest  ease  through  distances  of  twelve  and 
eighteen  feet,  and  when  apples  or  nuts  were  thrown  to  her  while  in 
the  air,  she  would  catch  them  without  discontinuing  her  course. 
She  kept  up  a succession  of  springs,  hardly  touching  the  branches 
in  her  progress,  continually  uttering  a musical  but  almost  deafening 
cry.  She  was  very  tame  and  gentle,  and  would  permit  herself  to 
be  touched  or  caressed.  The  height  of  the  gibbon  is  about  three 
feet,  and  the  reach  of  the  extended  arms  about  six  feet.  The 
young  gibbon  is  usually  of  a paler  color  than  its  parent. 

The  Kahau  is  a native  of  Borneo.  It  derives  its  name  from 
the  cry  it  utters,  which  is  a repetition  of  the  word  “Kahau.”  It 
is  remarkable  for  the  extraordinary  size  and  shape  of  its  nose,  and 


IO 


BABOONS. 


while  leaping  it  holds  that  organ  with  its  paws,  apparently  to  guard 
it  against  the  branches.  Its  length  from  the  head  to  the  tip  of  the 
tail  is  about  four  feet ; and  its  general  color  is  a sandy  red,  relieved 
by  yellow  cheeks  and  a yellow  stripe  over  the  shoulders. 


THE  BABOON  MOTHER  AND  HER  INFANT. 


Baboons  are  distinguished  from  the  apes  by  their  short  and 
insignificant-looking  tails.  The  Mandrill  is  the  most  conspicuous 
of  the  baboon  tribe,  is  a native  of  Guinea  and  Western  Africa,  and 
is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  vivid  colors  with  which  it  is  adorned. 


AMERICAN  AND  SPIDER  MONKEYS. 


i 


Its  cheeks  are  of  a brilliant  blue,  its  muzzle  of  a bright  scarlet,  and 
a stripe  of  crimson  runs  along  the  centre  of  its  nose.  These  colors 
are  agreeably  contrasted  by  the  purple  hues  of  the  hinder  quarters. 

It  lives  principally  in  forests  filled  with  brushwood,  from  which 
it  makes  incursions  into  the  nearest  villages,  plundering  them  with 
impunity.  On  this  account  it  is  much  dreaded  by  the  natives,  who 
feel  themselves  incapable  of  resisting  its  attacks.  It  is  excessively 
ferocious,  and  easily  excited  to  anger,  and  when  enraged,  so  bound- 
less is  its  rage,  that  Cuvier  relates  that  he  has  seen  several  of  these 
animals  actually  expire  from  the  violence  of  their  fury.  The 
greenish-brown  color  of  the  hair  of  this  and  other  monkeys  is 
caused  by  alternate  bands  of  yellow  and  black  which  exists  on  each 
hair.  The  brilliant  colors  referred  to  above  belong  to  the  skin,  and 
fade  away  entirely  after  death,  becoming  paler  when  the  animal  is 
not  in  perfect  health. 

The  American  Monkeys,  or  Cebidae,  are  found  exclusively  in 
South  America  and  are  never  seen  north  of  Panama.  Their  tails 
are  invariably  long,  and,  in  some  genera,  prehensile. 

The  Coaita  is  one  of  the  Spider  Monkeys,  so  called  from  their 
long,  slender  limbs,  and  their  method  of  progressing  among  the 
branches.  The  tail  seems  to  answer  the  purpose  of  a fifth  hand,  as 
it  is  capable  of  being  used  for  every  purpose  to  which  the  hand 
could  be  applied ; indeed,  the  Spider  Monkeys  are  said  to  use  this 
member  for  hooking  out  objects  where  a hand  could  not  be  in- 
serted. The  tail  is  also  of  considerable  use  in  climbing  among  the 
branches  of  trees ; they  coil  it  round  the  boughs  to  lower  or  raise 
themselves,  and  often  will  suspend  themselves  entirely  by  it,  and 
then  by  a more  powerful  impetus  swing  off  to  some  distant  branch. 
The  habits  of  all  the  Spider  Monkeys  are  very  similar.  They  are 
extremely  sensitive  to  cold,  and  when  chilly  are  in  the  habit  of 
wrapping  their  tail  about  them,  so  that  this  useful  organ  answers 


12 


HOWLING  MONKEYS— MARMOSET. 


the  purpose  of  a boa  as  well  as  a hand.  They  will  also,  when  shot, 
fasten  their  tail  so  firmly  on  the  branches  that  they  remain 
suspended  after  death.  The  great  length  of  their  tails  enables 
them  to  walk  in  the  erect  attitude  better  than  most  monkeys.  In 
walking,  they  cast  their  tails  upward  as  high  as  the  shoulders,  and 
then  bend  it  over  so  as  to  form  a counter-balance  against  the 
weight  of  the  body,  which  is  thrown  very  much  forward  in  that  and 
most  other  monkeys.  The  genus  is  called  Ateles,  or  imperfect, 
because  in  most  of  the  species  the  thumb  is  wanting.  The  Coaita 
inhabits  Surinam  and  Guinea. 

The  Howling  Monkeys  are  larger  and  not  so  agile  as  the 
Spider  Monkeys.  These  animals  possess  an  enlargement  in  the 
throat,  composed  of  several  valvular  pouches,  which  apparatus  ren- 
ders their  cry  exceedingly  loud  and  mournful,  from  which  peculiarity 
they  derive  their  name.  They  howl  in  concert,  principally  at  the 
rising  and  setting  of  the  sun.  They  are  in  great  request  among 
the  natives  as  articles  of  food,  their  slow  habits  rendering  them  an 
easy  prey. 

The  Ursine  Howler  or  Araguato,  is  common  in  Brazil,  where 
forty  or  fifty  have  been  observed  on  one  tree.  They  generally 
travel  in  files,  an  old  monkey  taking  the  lead,  and  the  others  fol- 
lowing in  due  order.  They  feed  principally  on  leaves  and  fruit ; 
the  tail  is  prehensile  like  that  of  the  Spider  Monkeys. 

The  Marmoset  is  a most  interesting  little  creature.  It  is 
exceedingly  sensitive  to  cold,  and  when  in  America  is  usually 
occupied  in  nestling  among  the  materials  for  its  bed,  which  it 
heaps  up  in  one  corner,  and  out  of  which  it  seldom  emerges 
entirely. 

It  will  eat  almost  any  article  of  food,  but  is  especially  fond  of 
insects,  which  it  dispatches  in  a very  adroit  manner.  It  will  also 
eat  fruits,  especially  those  of  its  native  country. 


LEMURS— SLENDER  LORIS. 


13 


The  Lemurs  derive  their  name  from  their  nocturnal  habits  and 
their  noiseless  movements.  The  Ruffled  Lemur  is  a native  of 
Madagascar.  It  lives  in  the  depths  of  the  forests,  and  only  moves 
by  night,  the  entire  day  being  spent  in  sleep.  Its  food  consists  of 
fruits,  insects,  and  small  birds,  which  latter  it  takes  while  they  are 
sleeping.  This  is  the  largest  of  the  lemurs,  being  rather  larger 
than  a cat. 

The  Slender  Loris  is  a native  of  India,  Ceylon,  etc.  It, 
like  the  lemur,  seldom  moves  by  day,  but  prowls  about  at  night  in 
search  of  food.  No  sooner  does  it  espy  a sleeping  bird  than  it 
slowly  advances  until  within  reach,  then  putting  forward  its  paw 
with  a motion  slow  and  imperceptible  as  the  movement  of  the 
shadow  on  the  dial,  it  gradually  places  its  fingers  over  the  devoted 
bird  ; then,  with  a movement  swifter  than  the  eye  can  follow,  it 
seizes  its  startled  prey. 

BATS,  OR  WING-HANDED  ANIMALS. 

This  name  is  derived  from  the  singular  manner  in  which  their 
forepaws,  or  hands,  are  developed  into  wings.  If  the  fingers  of  a 
man  were  to  be  drawn  out  like  wire  to  about  four  feet  in  length,  a 
thin  membrane  to  extend  from  finger  to  finger,  and  another  mem- 
brane to  fall  from  the  little  finger  to  the  ankles,  he  would  make  a 
very  tolerable  imitation  of  a bat. 

The  usual  food  of  bats  is  insects,  which  they  mostly  capture  on 
the  wing,  but  some,  as  the  Vampires,  suck  blood  from  other  ani- 
mals, and  a few,  as  the  Kalong,  or  Flying  Fox,  live  upon  fruits, 
and  so  devastate  the  mango  crops,  that  the  natives  are  forced  to 
cover  them  with  bamboo  baskets,  to  preserve  them  from  the  ravages 
of  these  animals,  who  would  soon  strip  the  fruit  trees  without  these 
precautions.  Even  the  cocoa-nut  is  not  secure  from  their  depreda- 
tions. 


14 


VAMPIRE  BA  T. 


The  membrane  of  the  bat’s  wing  is  plentifully  supplied  with 
nerves,  and  is  extremely  sensitive,  almost  appearing  to  supply  a 
sense  independent  of  sight.  Many  bats  possess  a similar  membrane 
on  the  nose,  which  is  possibly  used  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  object  of  the  elongation  of  the  finger  joints  is  to  give  the 
animal  the  power  of  extending  the  wing  membrane  or  folding  it  at 


VAMPIRE  BAT. 

pleasure.  When  the  bat  wishes  to  walk,  it  half  folds  the  mem- 
brane, and  assumes  an  attitude  admirably  represented  in  pictures  of 
the  Long-eared  Bat.  The  thumb-joint  has  no  part  of  the  wing 
attached  to  it,  but  is  left  free,  and  is  armed  with  a hook  at  the 
extremity,  by  means  of  which  it  is  enabled  to  drag  itself  along  in 
that  singular  vacillating  hobble  which  constitutes  a bat’s  walk. 

There  are  five  tribes,  or  sub-familie|,  of  bats,  according  to 


LONG-EARED  BAT. 


5 


Gray,  each  tribe  including  many  genera.  The  Vampire  Bat  is  a 
native  of  South  America,  where  it  is  very  common,  and  held  in 
some  dread.  It  lives  on  the  blood  of  animals,  and  sucks  usually 
while  its  victim  sleeps.  The  extremities,  where  the  blood  flows 
freely,  as  the  toe  of  a man,  the  ears  of  a horse,  or  the  combs  and 
wattles  of  fowls,  are  its  favorite  spots.  When  it  has  selected  a 
subject,  on  which  it  intends  to  feed,  it  watches  until  the  animal  is 
fairly  asleep.  It  then  carefully  fans  its  victim  with  its  wings  while 
it  bites  a little  hole  in  the  ear  or  shoulder.  The  wound  is  so  small, 
and  the  bat  manages  so  adroitly,  that  the  victim  does  not  discover 
that  anything  has  happened  until  the  morning,  when  a pool  of 
blood  betrays  the  visit  of  the  vampire. 

There  have  been  very  different  accounts  of  the  vampires  from 
travellers,  some  denying  that  they  suck  the  blood  at  all,  and  others 
narrating  circumstantially  the  injuries  inflicted  upon  their  own 
persons. 

The  Long-eared  Bat  is  found  in  most  parts  of  Europe,  and 
is  common  in  England.  It  may  be  seen  any  warm  evening  flying 
about  in  search  of  insects,  and  uttering  its  peculiar  shrill  cry.  The 
ears  are  about  an  inch  and  a half  in  length,  and  have  a fold  in 
them  reaching  almost  to  the  lips.  This  bat  is  very  easily  tamed, 
and  will  take  flies  and  other  insects  from  the  hand.  When  the 
long-eared  bat  is  suspended  by  its  hinder  claws,  it  assumes  a most 
singular  aspect.  The  beautiful  long  ears  are  tucked  under  its 
wings,  which  envelop  a great  part  of  its  body.  The  tragus,  or 
pointed  membrane  visible  inside  the  ear,  is  then  exposed,  and 
appears  to  be  the  actual  ear  itself,  giving  the  creature  a totally 
different  cast  of  character. 


i6 


Q UADR  UPEDS—LION. 


QUADRUPEDS. 

The  former  sections  have  been  characterized  by  the  number 
and  properties  of  the  hands.  In  this  section  the  hands  have  been 
modified  into  feet.  At  the  head  of  the  quadrupeds,  or  four-footed 
animals,  are  placed,  the  carnivora,  or  flesh-eaters,  and  at  the  head 
of  the  carnivora,  the  Felidae,  or  cat  kind,  are  placed,  as  being  the 
most  perfect  and  beautiful  in  that  section.  The  Felidae  all  take 
their  prey  by  creeping  as  near  as  they  can  without  observation,  and 
then  springing  upon  their  unfortunate  victim,  which  seldom  succeeds 
in  making  its  escape,  as  the  powerful  claws  and  teeth  of  its  enemy 
usually  dash  it  insensible  to  the  ground.  The  jaws  and  teeth  of  the 
Felidae  are  powerful,  and  their  teeth  long  and  sharp.  Their  claws 
are  necessarily  very  long,  curved,  and  sharp,  and  to  prevent  them 
from  being  injured  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  ground,  they  ai 
retracted,  when  not  in  use,  into  a sheath,  which  effectually  guard? 
them  and  keeps  them  sharp.  There  are  five  claws  on  the  fore-feet, 
and  four  on  the  hinder  feet. 

The  tongue  is  very  rough,  as  may  be  proved  by  feeling  the 
tongue  of  a cat.  The  roughness  is  occasioned  by  innumerable  little 
hooks  which  cover  the  tongue,  point  backward,  and  are  used  for  the 
purpose  of  licking  the  flesh  off  the  bones  of  their  prey.  The  bristles 
of  the  mouth,  or  w'hiskers,  are  each  connected  with  a large  nerve, 
and  are  exceedingly  useful  in  indicating  an  obstacle  when  the  animal 
prowls  by  night.  Their  eyes  are  adapted  for  nocturnal  vision  by 
the  dilating  power  of  the  pupil,  which  expands  so  as  to  take  in  every 
ray  of  light. 

The  Lion  stands  at  the  head  of  the  wild  beasts.  His  noble 
and  dignified  bearing,  the  terrific  power  compressed  into  his  com- 
paratively small  frame,  and  the  deep  majesty  of  his  voice,  have 
gained  for  him  the  name  of  u king  of  beasts.”  The  lion  inhabits 
Africa  and  certain  parts  of  Asia,  such  as  Arabia  and  Persia  and 


THE  BEAR 


LION. 


17 


some  parts  of  India.  It  varies  in  external  appearance  according  to 
the  locality,  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  there  is  but  one  species. 


THE  EION. 


The  roar  of  the  lion  is  one  of  its  chief  peculiarities.  The  best 
description  of  it  is  in  Gordon  Cumming’s  Adventures: 


2 


LION. 


18 

“ One  of  the  most  striking  things  connected  with  the  lion  is 
his  voice,  which  is  extremely  grand  and  peculiarly  striking.  It 
consists,  at  times,  of  a low,  deep  moaning,  repeated  five  or  six 
times,  ending  in  faintly  audible  sighs ; at  other  times  he  startles  the 
forest  with  loud,  deep-toned,  solemn  roars,  repeated  five  or  six  times 
in  quick  succession,  each  increasing  in  loudness  to  the  third  or 
fourth,  when  his  voice  dies  away  in  five  or  six  low,  muffled  sounds, 
very  much  resembling  distant  thunder.  At  times,  and  not  unfre- 
quently,  a troop  may  be  heard  roaring  in  concert,  one  assuming  the 
lead,  and  two,  three,  or  four  more  regularly  taking  up  their  parts 
like  persons  singing  a catch.” 

“As  a general  rule  lions  roar  during  the  night,  their  sighing 
moans  commencing  as  the  shades  of  evening  envelop  the  forest,  and 
continuing  at  intervals  throughout  the  night.  In  distant  and 
secluded  regions,  however,  I have  constantly  heard  them  roaring 
loudly  as  late  as  nine  or  ten  o’clock  on  a bright,  sunny  morning. 
In  hazy  or  rainy  weather  they  are  to  be  heard  at  every  hour  in  the 
day,  but  their  roar  is  subdued.” 

The  opinion  that  lions  will  not  touch  a dead  animal  is  erro- 
neous, as  they  were  frequently  shot  by  Mr.  Cummings  while 
devouring  gnoos,  etc.,  that  had  fallen  by  his  rifle.  Those  lions 
who  have  once  tasted  human  flesh  are  generally  the  most  to  be 
dreaded,  as  they  will  even  venture  to  spring  in  among  a company 
of  men,  and  seize  their  victim.  These  lions  are  called  Man-eaters. 

The  Lioness  is  much  smaller  than  the  lion,  and  is  destitute  of 
the  magnificent  mane  which  is  so  great  an  ornament  to  her  mate. 
As  a general  rule  she  is  more  fierce  and  active  than  the  male, 
especially  before  she  has  had  cubs,  or  while  she  is  suckling  them. 
She  has  usually  from  two  to  four  cubs  at  a time.  They  are  beauti- 
ful, playful  little  things,  and  are  slightly  striped.  They  have  no 
mane  until  about  two  years  old.  While  her  cubs  are  small,  the 


TIGER. 


*9 


lioness  knows  no  fear,  and  will  attack  a company  of  men,  or  a herd 
of  oxen,  if  they  come  too  near  her  den.  The  cubs  are  remarkably 
heavy  for  their  age. 

The  lion  when  young  is  easily  tamed,  and  shows  a strong 
attachment  to  its  keeper.  Those  who  have  seen  lion  tamers  will 
know  what  influence  man  may  obtain  over  this  powerful  creature. 
There  is  one  remarkable  difference  in  the  characters  of  the  feline 
and  canine  tribes.  If  a man  is  overcome  by  a wolf  or  a dog,  the 
animal  ceases  not  to  mangle  its  vanquished  foe  until  life  is  quite 
extinct.  A dog  killing  a rat  is  a good  instance  of  this  trait  of 
character. 

But  if  a lion  or  any  other  feline  animal  vanquishes  a man,  it 
contents  itself  with  the  victory  for  some  time  without  making  any 
attempt  to  injure  him,  unless  he  tries  to  escape,  in  which  case  he  is 
again  dashed  to  the  earth,  and  probably  considerably  bitten  as  a 
warning. 

At  the  extremity  of  the  lion’s  tail  there  is  a small  hook  or  claw, 
which  has  been  represented  as  the  means  by  which  the  animal  lashes 
itself  into  fury,  using  it  as  a spur.  This  is  impossible,  as  the  claw 
or  prickle  is  very  small,  not  fixed  to  the  bone  as  the  claws  of  the 
feet  are,  but  merely  attached  to  the  skin,  and  falls  off  if  roughly 
handled.  It  is  not  present  in  all  lions,  as  Mr.  Wood  only  discov- 
ered it  once  out  of  numerous  specimens  which  he  examined. 

The  Tiger  is  found  only  in  Asia,  Hindostan  being  the  part 
most  infested  by  it.  In  size  it  is  almost  equal  to  the  lion,  its  height 
being  from  three  to  four  feet,  and  its  length  rather  more  than  eight 
feet.  It  has  no  mane,  but  it  is  decorated  with  black  stripes,  upon 
a ground  of  reddish  yellow  fur,  which  becomes  almost  white  on  the 
under  parts  of  the  body.  The  chase  of  the  tiger  is  among  the  most 
exciting  and  favorite  sports  in  India.  A number  of  hunters  assem- 
ble, mounted  on  elephants  trained  to  the  sport,  and  carry  with  them 


THE  TIGER, 


LEOPARD. 


21 


a supply  of  loaded  rifles  in  their  howdahs,  or  carriages  mounted  on 
the  elephants’  backs.  Thus  armed,  they  proceed  to  the  spot  where 
a tiger  has  been  seen.  The  animal  is  usually  found  hidden  in  the 
long  grass  or  jungle,  which  is  frequently  eight  or  more  feet  in 
height,  and  when  roused,  it  endeavors  to  creep  away  under  the 
grass.  The  movement  of  the  leaves  betrays  him,  and  he  is  checked 
by  a rifle  ball  aimed  at  him  through  the  jungle.  Finding  that  he 
cannot  escape  without  being  seen,  he  turns  round  and  springs  at 
the  nearest  elephant,  endeavoring  to  clamber  up  it,  and  attack  the 
party  in  the  howdah.  This  is  the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, as  many  elephants  will  turn  round  and  run  away,  regard- 
less of  the  efforts  of  their  drivers  to  make  them  face  the  tiger. 
Should,  however,  the  elephant  stand  firm,  a well-directed  ball  checks 
the  tiger  in  his  spring,  and  he  then  endeavors  to  again  escape,  but 
a volley  of  rifle-balls  from  the  backs  of  the  other  elephants,  who  by 
this  time  have  come  up,  lays  the  savage  animal  prostrate,  and  in  a 
very  short  time  his  skin  decorates  the  successful  marksman’s  howdah. 

Tigers  are  usually  taken  by  the  natives  in  pitfalls,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  which  is  planted  a bamboo  stake,  the  top  of  which  is  sharp- 
ened into  a point.  The  animal  falls  on  the  point,  and  is  impaled. 
The  notion  that  tigers  cannot  be  tamed  is  erroneous.  They  can  be 
tamed  as  easily  as  the  lion.  The  coloring  of  the  tiger  is  a good 
instance  of  the  manner  in  which  animals  are  protected  by  the  simi- 
larity of  their  external  appearance  to  the  particular  locality  in  which 
they  reside.  The  stripes  on  the  tiger’s  skin  so  exactly  assimilate 
with  the  long  jungle  grass  among  which  it  lives,  that  it  is  impossible 
for  unpractised  eyes  to  discern  the  animal  at  all,  even  when  a con- 
siderable portion  of  its  body  is  exposed. 

The  Leopard  is  an  inhabitant  of  Africa,  India,  and  the  Indian 
Islands.  A black  variety  inhabits  Java,  and  is  not  uncommon 
there.  Its  height  is  about  two  feet.  This  and  the  following  Felidae 


22 


LEOPARD. 


are  accustomed  to  live  much  on  trees,  and  are  on  that  account  called 
tree-tigers  by  the  natives.  Nothing  can  be  more  beautiful  than  the 
elegant  and  active  manner  in  which  leopards  sport  among  the 
branches  of  the  trees : at  one  time  they  will  bound  from  branch  to 
branch  with  such  rapidity,  that  the  eye  can  scarcely  follow  them ; 
then,  as  if  tired,  they  will  suddenly  stretch  themselves  along  a 
branch,  so  as  to  be  hardly  distinguishable  from  the  bark,  but  start 


THE  LEOPARD. 


up  again  on  the  slightest  provocation,  and  again  resume  their  grace- 
ful antics.  It  is  easily  tamed,  and  expresses  great  fondness  for  its 
keeper,  and  will  play  with  him  like  a cat.  This  animal  is  exceed- 
ingly fond  of  some  scents,  especially  preferring  lavender  water,  by 
means  of  which  predilection  it  has  been  taught  to  perform  several 
tricks.  The  Leopard  and  Panther  are  considered  as  the  same 
animal. 


JA  G UAR—P  UMA—  O CEL  O T—  CA  T. 


23 


The  Jaguar  inhabits  America.  It  is  larger  and  more  power- 
ful than  the  leopard,  which  it  resembles  in  color,  but  has  a black 
streak  across  the  chest,  and  a black  spot  in  the  centre  of  the 
rosettes.  It  is  fond  of  climbing  trees,  and  finds  little  difficulty  in 
ascending,  even  when  the  trunk  is  smooth  and  destitute  of  branches. 
It  chases  monkeys  successfully,  and  is  said  to  watch  for  turtles  on 
the  beach,  and  to  scoop  out  their  flesh  by  turning  them  on  their 
backs  and  inserting  its  paws  between  the  shells.  Nor  does  it  con- 
fine its  attention  to  the  turtles  themselves,  for  it  watches  them  lay 
their  eggs,  and  then  scoops  them  out  of  the  sand  with  its  claws. 
It  often  makes  fearful  havoc  among  the  sheep-folds,  and  is  said  to 
depart  so  far  from  the  usual  habits  of  the  Felidae,  as  to  enter  the 
water  after  fish,  and  to  capture  them  in  the  shallows  by  striking 
them  out  of  the  water  with  a blow  of  its  paw. 

The  Puma,  or  Mountain  Lion,  inhabits  the  whole  of  America, 
where  it  is  held  in  much  dread  by  the  natives.  Its  color  is  a uniform 
gray,  fading  into  white  on  the  under  parts  of  its  body,  and  this 
similarity  of  color  is  the  reason  that  the  name  “concolor”  has 
been  given  to  it.  It  lives  much  on  trees,  and  usually  lies  along 
the  branches,  where  its  uniform  dusky  fur  renders  it  so  like  the 
bark  that  it  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  branch.  Ameri- 
cans always  speak  of  this  animal  as  the  panther,  or  “ painter,”  as 
it  is  more  familiarly  pronounced ; and  many  authors  still  term  it 
the  cougar , a word  contracted  from  the  original  elongated  unpro 
nounceable  Mexican  name,  “ Gouazouara.  ” 

The  Ocelot,  one  of  the  Tiger-cats,  is  a native  of  Mexico  and 
Peru.  Its  height  is  about  eighteen  inches,  and  its  length  about 
three  feet.  It  is  a beautiful  animal,  and  is  easily  tamed.  When  in 
a wild  state  it  lives  principally  on  monkeys,  which  it  takes  by 
stratagem. 

The  domestic  Cat  was  formerly  supposed  to  be  the  same  ani- 


MANX  CAT.  ANGORA  CAT. 


LYNX. 


25 


mal  as  the  wild  cat,  but  it  is  now  proved  to  be  a distinct  species, 
and  the  difference  is  seen  at  once  by  the  form  of  the  tail.  That  of 
the  domestic  cat  is  long  and  taper,  while  that  of  the  wild  cat  is 
bushy  and  short. 

The  cat  is  familiarly  known  to  us  as  a persevering  mouse- 
hunter.  So  strong  indeed  is  the  passion  for  hunting  in  the  breast 
of  the  cat,  that  she  sometimes  disdains  mice  and  trespasses  on 
warrens  or  preserves. 

This  instinctive  desire  of  hunting  seems  to  be  implanted  in 
cats  at  a very  early  age.  I have  seen  kittens  but  just  able  to  see 
bristle  up  at  the  touch  of  a mouse,  and  growl  - in  a terrific  manner 
if  disturbed. 

The  cat  displays  a great  affection  for  her  kittens,  and  her 
pride  when  they  first  run  about  is  quite  amusing.  While  I was 
undergraduate  at  college,  a cat  belonging  to  the  baker’s  depart- 
ment formed  a great  friendship  for  me,  and  used  to  come  every 
morning  and  evening  to  obtain  her  share  of  breakfast  and  tea. 
She  continued  her  attention  for  some  time,  but  one  morning  she 
was  absent  from  her  accustomed  corner,  nor  did  she  return  until 
nearly  a week  had  passed,  when  she  came  again,  but  always  seemed 
uneasy  unless  the  door  was  open.  A few  days  afterward  she  came 
up  as  usual,  and  jumped  on  my  knee,  at  the  same  time  putting  a 
little  kitten  in  my  hand.  She  refused  to  take  it  back  again,  so  I 
restored  it  to  its  brothers  and  sisters  myself.  A few  hours  after- 
ward, on  going  into  my  bedroom,  I found  another  black  kitten  fast 
asleep  on  the  bed. 

The  Lynxes  are  remarkable  for  the  pencil  of  hairs  which  tufts 
their  sharply  pointed  ears.  The  Canada  Lynx  is  a native  of  North 
America,  and  is  remarkable  for  its  gait.  Its  methods  of  progres- 
sion is  by  bounds  from  all  four  feet  at  once,  with  the  back  arched. 
It  feeds  principally  on  the  American  hare,  as  it  is  not  courageous 


2 6 


CHETAH. 


enough  to  attack  the  larger  quadrupeds.  Its  length  is  about  three 
feet.  The  Indians  sometimes  eat  its  flesh,  which  is  white  and 
firm,  and  not  unlike  that  of  the  American  hare  itself.  Its  skin 
forms  an  important  article  of  commerce. 

The  Chetah,  or  Hunting  Leopard,  as  it  is  sometimes  called. 


EUROPEAN  IyYNX. 

is  one  of  the  most  elegant  and  graceful  animals  known.  It  is  a 
native  both  of  Africa  and  India,  but  it  is  only  in  the  latter  country 
that  it  is  used  for  hunting  game. 

The  method  of  employing  it  is  usually  as  follows : The  chetah 
is  placed  in  a cart,  and  taken  as  near  as  possible  to  the  place  where 
antelopes  or  deer  are  feeding.  When  close  enough,  the  hunter  takes 


HYENA. 


2 7 


the  band  from  its  eyes,  and  directs  its  head  toward  the  game. 
Directly  the  chetah  sees  the  deer,  it  creeps  off  the  cart,  and  makes 
toward  them  as  rapidly  and  silently  as  it  can,  carefully  availing  itself 
of  the  cover  of  a bush,  or  stone,  precisely  as  a cat  does  when  steal- 
ing after  a bird.  When  it  has  succeeded  in  unobservedly  approach- 
ing the  unsuspecting  herd,  it  makes  two  or  three  tremendous  springs, 
and  fastens  on  the  back  of  one  unfortunate  deer,  brings  it  to  the 
ground,  and  waits  until  its  keeper  comes  up,  who  induces  it  to  leave 
its  prey  by  a ladleful  of  the  blood,  which  he  takes  care  to  have 
ready.  The  chetah  is  then  hooded  and  led  back  to  his  cart.  It  is 
so  easily  tamable  and  so  gentle  that  it  is  frequently  led  about  the 
streets  by  a string  for  sale. 

It  is  rather  larger  than  the  leopard,  and  differs  from  it  in  the 
length  of  its  paws,  its  inability  to  climb  trees,  and  the  crispness  of 
its  fur.  It  is  therefore  placed  in  a different  genus  from  the  leopard. 

The  Hyenas  are  remarkable  for  their  predatory,  ferocious,  and 
withal  cowardly  habits.  There  are  several  hyenas,  the  striped,  the 
spotted,  and  the  villose,  but  as  the  habits  of  all  are  very  similar, 
only  one  will  be  mentioned.  The  hyenas,  although  very  repulsive 
in  appearance,  are  yet  very  useful,  as  they  prowl  in  search  of  dead 
animals,  especially  of  the  larger  kinds,  and  will  devour  them  even 
when  putrid,  so  that  they  act  the  same  part  among  beasts  that  the 
vultures  do  among  birds,  and  are  equally  uninviting  in  aspect. 
They  not  unfrequently  dig  up  recently  interred  corpses,  and  in 
Abyssinia  they  even  flock  in  numbers  into  the  village  streets,  where 
they  prey  on  slaughtered  men  who  are  thrown  out  unburied.  Their 
jaws  and  teeth  are  exceedingly  powerful,  as  they  can  crush  the  thigh- 
bone of  an  ox  with  apparently  little  effort ; and  so  great  is  the  strain 
upon  the  bones  by  the  exertions  of  these  muscles,  that  the  vertebrae 
of  the  neck  become  anchylosed,  as  it  is  called,  that  is,  become 
united  together,  and  the  animal  has  a perpetual  stiff  neck  in  conse- 


C/VE  T—ICHNE  UMON. 


quence.  The  skull  too  is  very  strong,  and  furnished  with  heavy 
ridges  for  the  support  of  the  muscles  which  move  the  jaw. 

The  hinder  parts  of  the  hyena  are  very  small,  and  give  a 
strange  shambling  appearance  when  walking.  The  hyena  is  easily 
tamed,  and  even,  domesticated,  so  that  the  tales  of  its  untamable 
disposition  are  entirely  erroneous. 

The  striped  hyena  is  found  in  many  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa, 
where  it  is  both  a benefit  and  a pest,  for  when  dead  animals  fail  it, 
the  flocks  and  herds  are  ravaged,  and  even  man  does  not  always 
escape. 

The  Civets  are  active  little  animals,  averaging  about  two  feet 
in  length.  The  whole  group  is  celebrated  for  the  perfume  which  is 
secreted  in  a glandular  pouch  near  the  tail,  and  is  of  some  impor- 
tance in  commerce.  The  civet  is  only  found  in  North  Africa, 
especially  in  Abyssinia,  where  it  takes  up  its  abode  on  uncultivated 
and  barren  hills.  It  feeds  upon  birds  and  smaller  quadrupeds, 
which  it  takes  by  surprise. 

The  Ichneumons,  or  Mangousts,  well  deserve  their  name  of 
Creepers,  for  with  their  long  bodies  and  snouts,  their  short  limbs 
and  slender  tails,  they  insinuate  themselves  into  every  crevice  in 
their  way  in  search  of  their  expected  food.  Few  animals  are  more 
useful  than  the  ichneumons.  Snakes,  lizards,  crocodiles’  eggs,  or 
even  young  crocodiles  themselves,  form  their  principal  food,  and 
their  activity  is  so  great  that,  when  these  sources  fail,  they  are  able 
to  secure  birds,  and  even  seize  upon  the  swift  and  wary  lizards, 
which,  when  alarmed,  dart  off  like  streaks  of  green  light  glancing 
through  the  bushes. 

The  Egyptian  Ichneumon,  or  Pharoah’s  Rat,  as  it  is  some- 
times called,  is  a native  of  North  Africa,  and  is  often  domesticated 
for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  various  snakes,  and  other  reptile 
annoyances,  which  are  such  a pest  in  the  houses  of  hot  countries. 
Its  length  without  the  tail  is  about  eighteen  inches. 


SPOTTED  HYB)N4. 


30 


NEWFOUNDLAND  DOG— BLOODHOUND. 


We  now  arrive  at  the  Dog  Family,  which  includes  the  Dogs, 
Wolves,  Jackals,  and  Foxes.  The.  first  of  the  Dogs  is  the  Kolsun, 
or  Dhale,  which  inhabits  Bombay  and  Nepaul.  It  hunts  in  packs, 
as  most  of  the  dogs  do  even  in  a wild  state,  and  has  been  known  to 
destroy  tigers  and  chetahs.  Let  us  pass  to  a more  interesting  ani- 
mal, the  Newfoundland  Dog. 

This  magnificent  creature  was  originally  brought  from  New- 
foundland. It  is  often  confounded  with  the  Labrador  Dog,  a 
larger  and  more  powerful  animal.  Both  these  dogs  are  trained  by 
their  native  masters  to  draw  sledges  and  little  carriages,  and  on  that 
account  are  highly  esteemed. 

The  Newfoundland  dog  is  well  known  as  a most  faithful 
guardian  of  its  master’s  property.  It  is  very  fond  of  the  water, 
and  will  fetch  out  any  article  that  its  master  indicates,  and  lay  it  at 
his  feet.  Many  instances  are  known  of  this  noble  animal  saving 
the  lives  of  people  that  had  fallen  into  the  water,  and  must  have 
perished  but  for  its  timely  aid.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
dogs,  as  it  stands  nearly  two  feet  two  inches  in  height. 

The  Bloodhound. — There  are  several  varieties  of  this  animal, 
inhabiting  Cuba,  Africa,  England,  and  America.  They  are  all  en- 
dowed with  a wonderfully  acute  sense  of  smell,  and  can  trace  a man 
or  animal  with  almost  unerring  certainty.  The  Cuban  bloodhound 
was  formerly  employed  by  the  Spaniards  to  hunt  down  the  natives 
while  endeavoring  to  escape  from  their  invasions.  A few  years  since, 
one  of  these  dogs  saved  the  life  of  its  master,  an  American  hunter, 
by  boldly  attacking  a puma  which  had  sprung  on  him  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  was  lacerating  him  in  a dreadful  manner.  The  sagacious 
animal  had  been  tied  up  at  home,  but  apparently  knowing  the 
dangers  of  the  forests  through  which  its  master  was  about  to  pass, 
he  broke  his  chain,  and  arrived  barely  in  time  to  save  the  hunter 
from  a horrible  death. 


GROUP  OF  DOGS, 


32  FOXHO  UND— POINTER— MASTIFF— B ULL-DOG. 


The  Foxhound  and  Beagle  are  not  very  dissimilar  in  form  or 
habits.  They  both  follow  game  by  the  scent,  and  are  used  in 
hunting.  The  foxhound,  as  its  name  implies,  is  used  for  hunting 
the  fox,  and  enters  into  the  sport  with  extraordinary  eagerness. 
The  height  of  the  foxhound  is  about  twenty-two  inches. 

The  beagle  is  used  principally  for  hare  hunting.  It  is  much 
smaller  than  the  foxhound,  and  not  nearly  so  swift,  but  its  scent  is 
so  perfect  that  it  follows  every  track  of  the  flying  hare,  unravels  all 
her  windings,  and  seldom  fails  to  secure  her  at  last.  Sportsmen 
usually  prefer  the  smallest  beagles  obtainable. 

The  Pointer  is  used  by  sportsmen  to  point  out  the  spot  where 
the  game  lies.  It  ranges  the  fields  until  it  scents  the  hare  or 
partridge  lying  close  on  the  ground.  It  then  remains  still  as  if 
carved  in  stone,  every  limb  fixed,  and  the  tail  pointing  straight 
behind  it.  In  this  attitude  it  remains  until  the  gun  is  discharged, 
reloaded,  and  the  sportsman  has  reached  the  place  where  the  bird 
sprang. 

The  group  of  the  Mastiff  dogs  is  distinguished  by  the  short- 
ness of  the  nose  and  the  breadth  of  the  head.  This  group  includes 
the  mastiff,  the  bull-dog,  and  the  absurd  little  pug-dog.  The 
breadth  of  their  heads  is  caused  by  the  large  muscles  which  move 
the  jaw. 

The  English  mastiff  is  generally  employed  as  a house-dog,  as 
its  powerful  frame  and  deep  voice  are  well  fitted  to  scare  away 
marauders,  or  to  repel  them  if  they  approach  too  near.  It  is  by 
far  the  most  sagacious  of  the  whole  group,  and  exhibits  much  more 
attachment  to  its  master  than  the  others. 

The  Bull-Dog  is  proverbial  for  courage  and  endurance.  Un- 
fortunately its  social  qualities  are  by  no  means  pleasing,  as,  although 
it  has  some  attachment  to  its  master,  yet  it  is  not  always  safe  for 
him  to  disturb  it.  This  dog  was  extensively  used  in  the  cruel  sport 


TERRIER— SHEPHERD. 


33 


of  bull-baiting,  a recreation  now  extinct.  When  opposed  to  the 
bull,  the  dog  would  fly  at  its  nose,  and  there  hang  in  spite  of  all  the 
infuriated  animal’s  struggles. 

The  Terriers  never  grow  to  any  considerable  size.  There  are 
several  breeds  of  terriers,  among  which  the  English  and  Scotch  are 
most  conspicuous.  These  dogs  are  principally  used  for  destroying 


THE  CUBAN  MASTIFE. 

rats  or  other  vermin,  and  are  so  courageous  that  they  do  not  hesitate 
to  unearth  the  fox  or  badger.  Otters  are  also  hunted  by  them,  but 
prove  by  no  means  an  easy  prey.  Terriers  are  extremely  attached 
to  their  master,  and  are  capable  of  learning  many  amusing  tricks. 

The  Shepherd’s  Dog  is  a rough,  shaggy  animal,  with  sharp 
pointed  ears  and  nose.  It  is  an  invaluable  assistant  to  the  shepherd, 


34 


GREYHOUND— FRAIRIE  DOG— WOLF. 


as  it  knows  all  its  master’s  sheep,  never  suffers  them  to  stray,  and 
when  two  flocks  have  mixed,  it  will  separate  its  own  charge  with  the 
greatest  certainty.  It  understands  every  look  and  gesture  of  its 
beloved  master,  and  drives  the  flock  to  any  place  which  he  points 
out. 

The  Greyhound  is  the  swiftest  of  all  the  dogs,  and  is  princi- 
pally used  in  the  pursuit  of  the  hare.  It  has  but  little  delicacy  in 
scent,  and  hunts  almost  entirely  by  sight.  The  hare  endeavors  to 
baffle  it  by  making  sharp  turns,  which  the  dog  cannot  do  on  account 
of  its  superior  size,  and  has  therefore  to  take  a circuit,  during  which 
the  hare  makes  off  in  another  direction.  The  hare  also  has  the 
property  of  stopping  almost  instantaneously  when  at  full  speed.  It 
puts  this  manoeuvre  into  force,  when  it  is  nearing  its  favorite  hiding- 
place.  It  induces  the  dog  to  spring  upon  it,  and  then  suddenly 
checks  itself.  The  dog  is  carried  twenty  or  thirty  yards  away  by  its 
own  momentum,  and  the  hare  springs  off  to  her  place  of  refuge. 

Prairie  Dog. — The  title  of  Prairie  Dog  has  been  given  to 
this  animal  on  account  of  the  sharp  yelping  sound  which  it  is  in 
the  habit  of  uttering,  and  which  has  some  resemblance  to  the 
barking  of  a very  small  and  very  peevish  lap-dog.  Every  time  it 
yelps  it  gives  its  tail  a smart  jerk.  This  peculiar  sound  is  evidently 
employed  as  a cry  of  alarm ; for  as  soon  as  it  is  uttered  all  the 
prairie  dogs  dive  into  their  burrows,  and  do  not  emerge  again  until 
they  hear  the  shrill  whistle  which  tells  them  that  the  danger  is  past. 

Wolf. — The  wolf  looks  much  like  a large  shaggy  dog,  and  it 
has  been  thought  by  many  that  the  first  dogs  sprung  from  wolves. 
When  taken  young  the  wolf  may  be  tamed,  and  it  shows  as  much 
love  for  its  master  as  the  dog  does.  The  wolf  is  very  swift,  and 
hunts  deer  and  other  animals  in  packs.  It  is  sly  and  stealthy,  and 
often  prowls  about  lonely  farms,  to  catch  stray  sheep,  calves,  pigs, 
or  fowls,  but  is  also  cowardly  and  is  easily  frightened  off  by  the 
barking  of  a dog  or  the  sound  of  a gun. 


THE  WOEF. 


36 


GREY  WOLF. 


When  pressed  by  hunger  it  becomes  dangerous,  and  will  attack 
horses  and  oxen,  and  even  men.  In  hard  winters  packs  of  hungry 
wolves  come  down  from  the  forests  of  the  Alps  and  other  moun- 
tains in  Europe  and  commit  great  ravages ; and  many  terrible 
stories  have  been  told  of  travellers  who  have  been  chased  by  them 
in  great  forests,  especially  in  Russia  and  Siberia.  It  is  said  that  in 
Russia  more  than  two  hundred  human  beings  are  killed  by  wolves 
every  year,  and  a great  many  thousands  of  cattle  and  sheep. 

The  Grey  Wolf  of  North  America  is  usually  gray  above  and 
yellowish  gray  below,  but  is  sometimes  nearly  white.  It  is  three  or 
four  feet  long,  with  a tail  about  a foot  and  a half  long. 

Packs  of  these  wolves  follow  the  buffalo  herds  on  the  western 
plains,  feeding  on  the  sick  and  straggling  ones.  They  also  attack 
horses,  and  sometimes  men,  when  very  hungry.  They  were  once 
plentiful  in  New  England  and  the  other  Eastern  States,  but  now 
only  a few  are  found  in  mountainous  and  thickly  wooded  parts. 

In  1739  Israel  Putnam,  who  afterward  became  so  well  known 
as  General  Putnam  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  began  life  as  a 
farmer  in  the  town  of  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  forty  miles  east  of 
Hartford.  That  part  of  the  State  was  then  quite  wild,  and  the 
wolves  were  so  troublesome  that  they  killed  seventy  of  his  sheep  in 
one  night.  The  mischief  was  all  done  by  one  old  she  wolf  and 
her  cubs,  who  had  lived  in  the  woods  near  there  for  several  years. 
The  hunters  killed  the  cubs,  but  the  old  one  was  too  wary  to  be 
caught.  She  was  at  last  driven  by  bloodhounds  into  a den  about 
three  miles  from  Putnam’s  house.  The  hunters  tried  to  smoke  her 
out  by  burning  straw  and  brimstone  in  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  but 
the  wolf  would  not  come  out,  and  Putnam,  tired  of  waiting  any 
longer,  for  it  was  then  ten  o’clock  at  night,  took  a. blazing  torch  in 
his  hand  and  went  down  the  hole,  which  was  only  high  enough  for 
him  to  crawl  on  his  hands  and  knees.  He  had  a rope  tied  round 


PRAIRIE  WOLF— FOX. 


37 


his  legs,  and  told  his  friends  to  pull  him  up  when  he  gave  a signal. 
He  crawled  along  more  than  thirty  feet,  or  six  times  a man’s 
length,  without  seeing  anything ; but  all  at  once  he  saw  at  the  end 
of  the  cave  the  glaring  eyeballs  of  the  wolf.  She  gnashed  her 
teeth  and  gave  a sudden  growl,  and  his  friends,  who  heard  it, 
pulled  him  out  so  quickly  that  his  shirt  was  torn  to  strips  and  his 
skin  badly  cut.  He  then  loaded  his  gun  with  buckshot,  and  taking 
it  in  one  hand  and  a torch  in  the  other,  went  down  again.  As 
soon  as  he  came  near  the  wolf,  she  growled  and  made  ready  to 
spring  at  him,  but  he  shot  her  quickly  in  the  head,  and  was  hauled 
out  again  nearly  deaf  with  the  noise,  and  choked  with  the  smoke. 
After  the  smoke  had  cleared  away,  he  crawled  down  a third  time, 
took  the  dead  wolf  by  the  ears,  and  the  two  were  pulled  out  by  the 
people  above  with  much  joy. 

The  Indians  catch  many  grey  wolves  in  traps,  and  also  kill 
many  by  surrounding  them  in  a circle,  which  they  make  smaller, 
little  by  little,  until  they  get  near  enough  to  shoot  them. 

The  Prairie  Wolf,  which  the  Mexicans  call  coyote , is  smaller 
than  the  grey  wolf,  and  is  much  like  a jackal.  The  true  wolf  has 
a howl  like  that  of  a dog,  but  the  prairie  wolf  has  only  a kind  of 
snapping  bark,  whence  it  is  sometimes  called  the  barking  wolf.  It 
lives  in  burrows  on  the  great  Western  plains,  is  very  swift,  and 
hunts  in  packs. 

The  Fox. — This  terror  of  hen-roosts  and  delight  of  sports- 
men is  found  in  most  parts  of  America,  and  many  other  countries. 
It  varies  very  much  in  color  and  size,  according  to  the  country 
where  it  lives. 

The  habits  of  this  animal  are  mostly  nocturnal.  It  lies  by  day 
concealed  in  its  burrow,  if  it  be  fortunate  enough  to  possess  one. 
Toward  evening  it  sallies  out  in  search  of  food,  and  woe  to  the 
unfortunate  hare,  rabbit,  pheasant,  or  fowl  that  comes  in  its  way. 


38 


WEASEL— MAR  TEN. 


Sometimes  he  steals  into  the  hen-roost,  destroys  and  carries  off 
most  of  its  inmates,  some  of  which  he  devours  on  the  spot,  others 
he  carries  home,  and  the  remainder  he  buries  for  a future  repast. 

When  irritated,  the  fox  gives  out  a strong,  disagreeable  scent, 
which  lies  so  long  on  the  ground  that  it  may  be  perceived  for  nearly 
an  hour  after  the  fox  has  passed.  Partly  on  this  account,  and 
partly  on  account  of  its  speed,  endurance,  and  cunning,  the  chase 
of  the  fox  is  one  of  the  most  admired  of  English  sports. 


the  fox. 


The  Weasels  are  easily  distinguished  by  their  long  slender 
bodies,  short  muzzle,  sharp  teeth,  and  predatory  habits.  They 
inhabit  almost  every  part  of  the  world,  and  procure  their  food  by 
creeping  on  their  unsuspecting  victim,  generally  a rabbit,  rat,  or 
bird,  and  then  suddenly  darting  at  it  and  piercing  its  neck  with  their 
sharp  teeth.  Almost  all  the  weasels  devour  the  brain  and  suck  the 
blood  of  their  prey,  but  seldom  touch  the  flesh,  unless  they  are 
pressed  by  hunger. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  Martens,  named,  from  their  favorite 


STOA  Tt  OR  ERMINE. 


39 


haunts,  the  Pine  and  the  Beech  Marten.  Some  naturalists  assert 
that  these  two  martens  are  not  distinct  animals,  but  only  varieties 
of  the  same  species.  The  Pine  Marten  is  common  in  North 
America,  where  it  is  much  too  fond  of  chickens  and  ducklings  to  be 


THE  MARTEN.  THE  WEASEE. 


a desirable  neighbor.  This  animal,  as  well  as  the  sable,  is  much 
sought  after  on  account  of  its  skin,  which  furnishes  a beautiful  fur, 
not  much  inferior  to  that  of  the  sable. 

The  Stoat,  or  Ermine,  is  smaller  than  the  polecat,  but  its 
habits  are  scarcely  less  predaceous.  Hares  and  rabbits  fall  easy 


40 


WEASEL— BADGER. 


victims  to  their  little  enemy,  who  despatches  them  with  a single 
bite,  penetrating  the  brain.  During  the  winter  the  stoat  becomes 
partially  white,  in  northern  countries  wholly  so,  except  the  tip  of 
the  tail,  which  remains  black.  In  this  state  it  is  called  the  ermine, 
and  is  killed  in  great  numbers  for  the  sake  of  its  beautiful  and 
valuable  fur. 

The  Weasel  is  the  least  of  this  tribe.  It  is  exceedingly  use- 
ful to  farmers,  as  it  wages  unrelenting  war  on  rats  and  mice,  and  in 
an  incredibly  short  space  of  time  extirpates  them  from  a barn  or 
stack.  It  hunts  by  scent  like  dogs,  and  tracks  the  unfortunate  rat 
with  the  most  deadly  certainty.  It  is  a most  courageous  little 
animal,  and  will  even  attack  men,  who  have  found  it  by  no  means 
a despicable  antagonist,  as  its  instinct  invariably  leads  it  to  dash  at 
the  throat,  where  a bite  from  its  long,  sharp  teeth  would  be  very 
dangerous. 

The  Badger. — This  harmless  and  much  injured  animal  (which 
is  often  subjected  to  such  ill  treatment  that  the  term  “ badgering  ” 
a person  is  used  to  express  irritating  him  in  every  possible  way) 
lives  at  the  bottom  of  deep  burrows,  which  it  excavates,  and  in 
which  it  passes  all  the  day  sleeping  on  a very  comfortable  bed  of 
hay  and  grass.  When  the  evening  approaches  it  seeks  it  food, 
consisting  of  roots,  fruit,  insects,  and  sometimes  young  rabbits. 
It  is  also  said  to  attack  the  wild  bee,  and  boldly  devour  the  honey 
and  combs,  its  thick  hair  and  skin  rendering  it  utterly  regardless  of 
the  stings  of  the  enraged  bees. 

The  power  of  the  badger’s  bite  is  caused  principally  by  the 
manner  in  which  the  under  jaw  is  set  on.  Not  only  are  its  teeth 
sharp,  and  the  leverage  of  its  jaw  powerful,  but  the  jaw  is  so  con- 
trived that,  when  the  creature  closes  its  mouth,  the  jaw  locks 
together  as  it  were,  and  is  held  fast  without  much  exertion  on  the 
part  of  the  badger.  Its  skin  is  rather  valuable,  the  hair  being 


OTTER— BROWN  BEAR. 


4i 


extensively  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  brushes,  and  its  fur 
being  in  some  request  for  holsters.  The  length  of  the  badger  is 
about  two  feet  three  inches. 

The  Otter  seems  to  play  the  same  part  in  the  water  as  the 
polecat  and  other  weasels  on  the  land.  Like  the  polecat,  it  is  ex- 
cessively rapacious,  and  destroys  many  more  creatures  than  it  can 
devour;  and  as  the  polecat  only  eats  the  brain  and  sucks  the  blood, 
so  the  other  daintily  eats  the  flakes  at  the  back'  of  the  fish’s  neck, 
and  leaves  the  rest  for  less  fastidious  animals. 

It  is  extremely  interesting  to  watch  the  actions  of  this  almost 
amphibious  creature.  It  slides  noiselessly  into  the  water,  turns  and 
twists  about  below  the  surface  with  the  same  or  greater  ease  than  a 
fish,  then  with  a graceful  sweep  of  the  body  it  glides  to  the  surface 
and  ascends  the  bank  with  almost  the  same  motion.  While  below 
the  surface  it  bears  a great  resemblance  to  the  seal,  the  method  in 
which  it  disposes  its  hind  feet  greatly  assisting  the  effect.  Its  rapid 
and  easy  movements  in  the  water  are  mostly  performed  by  the 
assistance  of  its  powerful  tapering  tail. 

The  otter  is  easily  tamed,  and  its  predatory  habits  have  been 
occasionally  turned  to  account,  as  it  is  sometimes  trained  to  catch 
fish  and  bring  them  to  shore.  The  Hindoos  have  brought  the  art 
of  otter  training  to  great  perfection,  and  keep  their  otters  regularly 
tethered  with  ropes  and  straw  collars  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 

The  Bears  and  their  allies  are  mostly  heavy,  and  walk  with 
the  whole  foot  placed  flat  on  the  ground,  unlike  the  cats,  dogs,  etc., 
who  walk  with  merely  their  paws  or  toes.  All  the  bears  are  om- 
nivorous — that  is,  they  can  eat  either  animal  or  vegetable  food,  so 
that  a leg  of  mutton,  a pot  of  honey,  a potato,  or  an  apple,  are 
equally  acceptable. 

The  Brown  Bear  inhabits  the  north  of  Europe,  Switzerland, 
and  the  Pyrenees. 


42 


GRIZZL  Y BEAR— WHITE  BEAR. 


In  olden  times  the  bear  used  to  be  baited — that  is  to  say,  the 
bear  was  tied  to  a pole,  and  several  dogs  were  set  at  him,  the  object 
being  to  see  whether  the  bear  could  bite  the  dogs,  or  the  dogs  bite 
the  bear  with  greater  force ; but  this  cruel  sport  is  now  happily 
extinct. 

The  Grizzly  Bear,  a native  of  North  America,  is  the  most 
ferocious  and  powerful  of  its  family,  and  is  an  animal  which  must 
either  be  avoided  or  fought,  for  there  is  no  medium.  If  a grizzly 
once  sees  a man,  it  will  probably  chase  him,  and  will  do  so  with 
great  perseverance.  An  American  traveller  told  me  lately  that  he 
had  been  chased  nearly  thirty  miles  by  one  of  these  bears,  who 
would  probably  have  kept  up  the  chase  as  many  miles  more,  had 
not  my  informant  crossed  a wide  river,  over  which  the  bear  did 
not  choose  to  follow  him. 

The  grizzly  bear  is  very  marvellously  tenacious  of  life.  Some- 
times, it  is  said,  after  a party  of  hunters  have  been  combating  one 
of  these  bears,  it  is  impossible  to  find  four  square  inches  of 
sound  skin  in  the  animal’s  body,  a ball  through  the  brain  or  heart 
affording  the  only  means  of  safety  to  the  hunter.  It  is  rather  sin- 
gular that  this  bear  has  the  power  of  moving  each  claw  separately, 
as  we  move  our  fingers.  It  is  able  to  overcome  and  carry  off  the 
enormous  bison,  and  to  dig  a pit  in  which  to  bury  it. 

The  Polar  or  White  Bear,  called  Nennook  by  the  Esqui- 
maux, lives  in  the  Arctic  regions,  where  it  feeds  on  seals,  fish,  or 
even  the  walrus,  but  it  dares  not  attack  the  latter  animal  openly. 
It  is  a formidable  antagonist  either  by  land  or  water,  as  it  dives 
with  great  ease,  and  is  able  to  chase  the  seal  amid  the  waves.  As 
the  seals  frequently  crawl  out  of  the  water  upon  rocks  or  fragments 
of  ice,  the  Polar  bear  is  forced  to  swim  after  them ; but  lest  they 
should  observe  him  he  makes  his  approaches  by  a succession  of 
dives,  and  contrives  that  the  last  dive  brings  him  directly  under  the 
unsuspecting  seal,  who  is  immediately  grasped  and  killed. 


THE  GRIZZIyY  BEAR, 


44 


RACCOON. 


Richardson  states  that  these  bears  are  often  drifted  from  Green- 
land to  Iceland  on  fields  of  ice,  and  that  they  find  the  flocks  and 
herds  so  very  delicious  after  a long  course  of  seal  diet,  that  the  in- 
habitants are  forced  to  rise  in  a body  and  put  an  end  to  their  depre- 
dations. To  give  this  animal,  who  is  constantly  running  over  fields 
of  ice,  a firm  footing,  the  soles  of  its  feet  are  thickly  covered  with 
long  hair. 


THE  RACCOON. 


The  Raccoon  is  an  animal  about  the  size  of  a large  fox,  and 
an  inhabitant  of  Canada  and  other  parts  of  America.  It  is  said  to 
possess  the  habit  of  washing  its  food  before  eating  it.  Its  skin  is 
very  valuable,  and  is  much  sought  after  by  American  hunters.  The 
food  of  the  raccoon  is  principally  small  animals  and  insects.  Oys- 
ters are  also  a very  favorite  article  of  its  diet.  It  bites  off  the  hinge 
of  the  oyster,  and  scrapes  out  the  animal  in  fragments  with  its  paws. 


MOLE. 


45 


Like  a squirrel  when  eating  a nut,  the  raccoon  usually  holds  its 
food  between  its  fore  paws  pressed  together,  and  sits  upon  its  hind 
quarters  while  it  eats.  Poultry  are  very  favorite  objects  of  its 
attack,  and  it  is  said  to  be  as  destructive  in  a farm-yard  as  any  fox, 
for  it  only  devours  the  heads  of  the  murdered  fowl.  Like  the  fox, 
it  prowls  by  night.  When  taken  young  it  is  easily  tamed,  but  very 
frequently  becomes  blind  soon  after  its  capture.  This  effect  is  sup- 
posed to  be  produced  by  the  sensitive  state  of  its  eyes,  which  are 
only  intended  to  be  used  by  night ; but  as  it  is  frequently  awakened 
by  daylight  during  its  captivity,  it  suffers  so  much  from  the  un- 
wonted glare,  that  its  eyes  gradually  lose  their  sight. 

The  Mole. — Many  ridiculous  stories  of  the  mole  and  its  habits 
may  be  found  in  several  authors.  This  animal  is  said  to  be  de- 
prived of  eyes,  to  undergo  unheard-of  tortures  in  forcing  its  way 
through  the  earth,  and  to  spend  a life  of  misery  in  subterranean 
damp  and  darkness.  But  so  far  from  being  a miserable  animal,  the 
mole  seems  to  enjoy  its  life  quite  as  much  as  any  other  creature. 
It  is  beautifully  fitted  for  the  station  which  it  fills,  and  would  be 
unhappy  if  removed  from  its  accustomed  damp  and  darkness  into 
warmth  and  light. 

The  eyes  of  the  mole  are  very  small,  in  order  to  prevent  them 
from  being  injured  by  the  earth  through  which  the  animal  makes 
its  way;  indeed,  larger  eyes  would  be  useless  underground.  When, 
however,  the  mole  requires  to  use  its  eyes,  it  can  bring  them  for- 
ward from  the  mass  of  fur  which  conceals  and  protects  them  when 
not  in  use.  The  acute  ears  and  delicate  sense  of  smell  supply  the 
place  of  eyes. 

Its  fur  is  very  fine,  soft,  capable  of  turning  in  any  direction, 
and  will  not  retain  a particle  of  mould.  But  the  most  extraordinary 
part  of  the  mole  is  the  paw  or  hand  with  wrhich  it  digs.  The  two 
fore  paws  are  composed  of  five  fingers,  armed  with  sharp,  strong 


46 


MOLE. 


nails,  in  order  to  scrape  up  the  earth  ; and  to  prevent  the  accumu- 
lated mould  from  impeding  the  mole’s  progress,  the  hands  are 
turned  outwardly,  so  as  to  throw  the  earth  out  of  its  way. 

The  mole  is  a most  voracious  animal,  and  is  incapable  of  sus- 
taining even  a slight  fast.  Its  principal  food  is  the  earth-worm,  in 
chase  of  which  it  drives  its  long  galleries  underground ; but  it  also 
will  eat  insects,  bits  of  meat,  and  is  said  sometimes  to  catch  birds, 


the;  mol,e. 


which  it  takes  by  surprise,  and  then  rapidly  tears  to  pieces  with  its 
powerful  claws.  This  ravenous  appetite  causes  it  to  suffer  from 
thirst  if  a supply  of  water  is  not  at  hand.  For  this  reason  the  mole 
always  makes  a tunnel  toward  a pond  or  brook,  if  there  is  one  near. 
If  no  water  is  near,  it  digs  a number  of  little  wells,  which  receive 
the  rAin  or  dew,  and  enable  it  to  quench  its  thirst. 

It  is  a good  swimmer,  and  can  pass  from  bank  to  bank,  or  from 


MOLE. 


47 


the  shore  to  an  island,  and  when  the  fields  are  inundated  by  floods 
it  can  save  itself  by  swimming.  The  construction  of  the  mole’s 
habitation  is  very  singular  and  interesting.  Each  mole  has  its  own 
habitation  and  hunting  ground,  and  will  not  permit  strangers  to 
trespass  upon  its  preserves,  which  it  guards  by  its  own  claws  and 
teeth. 

If  a strange  mole  should  happen  to  trespass  upon  the  do- 
mains of  another,  there  would  be  a furious  fight,  and  the  con- 
queror would  devour  his  vanquished  foe.  Although  each  mole  has 
its  own  hunting  ground,  yet  there  are  mostly  high-roads,  which 
connect  the  different  hunting  grounds  with  each  other,  and  which 
are  used  by  many  individuals  in  common,  the  only  precaution  taken 
being  that,  if  two  moles  should  happen  to  meet,  the  weaker  imme- 
diately retreats  into  one  of  the  numerous  side  galleries  which  open 
from  the  high-road,  and  permits  its  aristocratical  neighbor  to  pass. 

All  the  passions  of  the  mole  seem  to  be  furious.  Even  its  pas- 
sion for  work,  i.  e.,  search  after  its  food,  has  something  fierce  in  it. 
The  animal  works  desperately  for  several  hours,  and  then  rests  for 
as  many  more.  The  country  people  say  that  it  works  at  intervals 
of  three  hours  each.  The  mode  of  burrowing  by  this  animal  is  by 
rooting  up  the  earth  with  its  snout,  and  then  scooping  it  away  with 
its  fore  feet.  I have  often  seen  this  operation  performed.  The 
depth  at  which  this  animal  works  depends  almost  entirely  on  the 
time  of  year.  In  the  summer,  the  worms  come  to  the  surface,  and 
the  mole  accordingly  follows  them,  making  quite  superficial  runs, 
and  sometimes  only  scooping  trenches  on  the  surface.  But  in  the 
winter,  when  the  worms  sink  deep  into  the  ground,  the  mole  is 
forced  to  follow  them  there,  and  as  it  cannot  fast  above  an  hour  or 
two,  it  is  forced  to  work  at  the  comparatively  hard  and  heavy  soil, 
as  it  did  in  the  light  earth  nearer  the  surface. 

Moles  vary  in  color,  the  usual  tint  being  a very  deep  brown, 


48 


SHREW-MOUSE. 


almost  black,  but  they  have  been  seen  of  an  orange  color,  and  a 
white  variety  is  not  uncommon.  I have  a cream-colored  skin  in 
my  possession.  There  are  several  moles  known — the  Shrew-Mole, 
the  Changeable  Mole,  the  Cape  Mole,  and  the  Star-nosed  Mole  are 
the  most  conspicuous. 

The  Shrew-Mouse. — This  pretty  little  animal  is  very  like  the 
common  mouse,  but  is  easily  distinguished  from  it  by  the  length  of 
its  nose,  which  is  used  for  grubbing  up  the  earth  in  search  of  earth- 
worms and  insects. 

The  reader  must  not  imagine  that  the  shrew  has  any  connection 
with  the  true  mice.  It  belongs  to  an  entirely  different  class  of 
animals,  its  teeth  being  sharp  and  pointed,  not  unlike  those  of  the 
mole  and  the  hedgehog,  whereas  those  of  the  mouse  are  broad  and 
chisel-shaped  like  the  teeth  of  the  rabbit.  A peculiar  scent  is 
diffused  from  these  animals,  which  is  possibly  the  reason  why  the  cat 
will  not  eat  them,  although  she  will  readily  destroy  them. 

Many  species  of  shrews  are  known,  inhabiting  various  countries. 
There  are,  besides  the  common  species,  the  Oared  and  the  Water 
Shrew,  all  three  inhabiting  England.  The  formation  of  their  hair, 
as  seen  under  a powerful  microscope,  is  very  beautiful,  but  quite 
distinct  from  the  hair  of  the  mouse  or  rat.  In  the  autumn,  numbers 
of  these  little  animals  may  be  seen  lying  dead,  but  what  causes  this 
destruction  is  not  known. 

This  is  one  of  the  numerous  animals  that  have  suffered  by  false 
reports,  and  have  been  treated  with  great  cruelty  on  account  of  those 
fables.  Rustics  formerly  believed  that  the  poor  little  harmless 
creature  paralyzed  their  cattle  by  running  over  them,  and  that  the 
only  way  to  cure  the  diseased  animal  was  to  place  a bough  of  shrew- 
ash  on  the  injured  part.  The  shrew-ash  was  made  by  boring  a hole 
into  an  ash-tree,  and  then  plugging  up  in  the  hole  a living  shrew- 
mouse.  By  the  same  process  of  reasoning  a shrew  cut  in  half,  and 


HEDGEHOG. 


49 


placed  on  a wound  supposed  to  be  caused  by  its  bite,  was  considered 
a certain  remedy. 

The  Hedgehog  is  one  of  the  remarkable  animals  that  are 
guarded  with  spikes.  These  are  fixed  into  the  skin  in  a very  beau- 
tiful and  simple  manner.  When  the  hedgehog  is  annoyed  it  rolls 


THE  HEDGEHOG. 


itself  up,  and  the  tightness  of  the  skin  causes  all  its  spines  to  stand 
firm  and  erect,  bidding  defiance  to  an  unprotected  hand. 

While  rolled  up,  even  the  dog  and  fox  are  baffled  by  it ; but 
their  ingenuity  enables  them  to  overcome  the  difficulty  by  rolling  it 
along  until  they  push  it  into  a puddle  or  pool,  when  the  astonished 
hedgehog  immediately  unrolls  itself  to  see  what  is  the  matter,  and 
4 


50 


KANGAROO. 


before  it  can  close  itself  again  is  seized  by  its  carfty  enemy. 

The  food  of  the  hedgehog  consists  of  insects,  snails,  frogs, 
mice,  and  snakes.  Dr.  Buckland  placed  a snake  in  the  same  box 
with  the  hedgehog.  The  hedgehog  gave  the  snake  a severe  bite, 
and  then  rolled  itself  up,  this  process  being  repeated  until  the  spine 
of  the  snake  was  broken  in  several  places;  it  then  began  at  the  tail, 
and  ate  the  snake  gradually,  as  one  would  eat  a radish.  It  has  been 
known  to  bore  down  and  eat  the  roots  of  the  plantain,  leaving  the 
leaves  and  stem  untouched.  The  flesh  of  the  hedgehog  is  said  to 
be  good  eating,  and  the  gypsies  frequently  make  it  a part  of  their 
diet,  as  do  the  people  in  some  parts  of  Europe. 

During  the  winter  it  lives  in  a torpid  state,  in  a hole  well  lined 
with  grass  and  moss,  and  when  discovered  looks  like  a round  mass 
of  leaves,  as  it  has  rolled  itself  among  the  fallen  foliage,  which  adheres 
to  its  spikes.  The  quill  is  as  it  were  pinned  through  the  skin,  and 
retained  by  the  head.  The  curvature  is  such  that  when  the  animal 
contracts  itself,  the  quills  are  drawn  upright,  and  form  a strong  and 
elastic  covering,  useful  for  more  purposes  than  merely  defence  from 
foes. 

The  hedgehog  has  been  known  to  throw  itself  boldly  from  a 
considerable  height,  trusting  to  the  elasticity  of  the  spring  for 
breaking  its  fall.  It  will  be  seen  that  when  the  spines  are  upright 
the  shock  of  the  fall  would  not  tend  to  drive  the  end  of  the  quill 
upon  the  animal,  but  merely  spend  its  force  upon  the  elasticity  of 
the  curved  portion. 

The  Kangaroo. — In  the  mole  we  saw  that  the  power  of  the 
body  was  placed  chiefly  in  the  fore  legs.  We  now  come  to  a family 
which  has  the  principal  power  placed  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  body. 
In  the  kangaroos  the  hind  legs  are  very  long  and  immensely  power- 
ful ; the  fore  legs  are  very  small,  and  used  more  as  hands  than  for 
walking ; the  tail  is  also  very  thick  and  strong,  and  assists  the  animal 
in  its  leaps. 


KANGAROO.  51 


The  Great  Kangaroo  inhabits  Australia.  Its  singular  forma- 
tion, peculiarly  adapted  to  the  country,  calls  forth  a corresponding 
degree  of  ingenuity  on  the  part  of  the  natives,  who  live  much  on 


THE  KANGAROO. 


its  flesh.  Its  method  of  progression  is  by  leaps  from  its  long  hind 
legs.  Its  natural  walking  position  is  on  all  four  legs,  although  it 
constantly  sits  up  on  the  hinder  legs,  or  even  stands  on  a tripod 


52 


OPOSSUM. 


composed  of  its  feet  and  tail,  in  order  to  look  out  over  the  tops  of 
the  luxuriant  grass  among  which  it  lives.  The  leaping  movements 
are  required  for  haste  or  escape,  the  length  of  each  leap  being  about 
fifteen  feet. 

Hunting  this  animal  is  a very  favorite  sport.  The  natives 
either  knock  it  down  with  the  boomerang,  spear  it  from  behind  a 
bush,  or  unite  together  and  hem  in  a herd,  which  soon  fall  victims 
to  the  volleys  of  clubs,  spears,  and  boomerangs  which  pour  in  on 
all  sides.  The  colonists  either  shoot  it  or  hunt  it  with  dogs,  a pack 
of  which  is  trained  for  that  purpose. 

The  “ old  man,”  or  “ boomer,”  as  the  colonists  call  the  great 
kangaroo,  invariably  leads  the  dogs  a severe  chase,  always  attempt- 
ing to  reach  the  water  and  escape  by  swimming.  It  is  a formidable 
foe  to  the  dogs  when  it  stands  at  bay,  as  it  seizes  the  dog  with  its 
fore  legs,  and  either  holds  him  under  water  until  he  is  drowned,  or 
tears  him  open  with  a well-directed  kick  of  its  powerful  hind  feet, 
which  are  armed  with  a very  sharp  claw.  The  female  kangaroo 
carries  its  young  in  a kind  of  pouch,  from  which  they  emerge 
when  they  wish  for  a little  exercise,  and  leap  back  again  on  the 
slightest  alarm.  All  the  kangaroos  and  the  opossums  have  this 
pouch. 

The  length  of  the  great  kangaroo  is  about  five  feet  without  the 
tail,  which  is  about  three  feet  long. 

There  are  many  species  of  kangaroo,  the  most  extraordinary 
being  the  Tree  Kangaroo,  which  can  hop  about  on  trees,  and  has 
curved  claws  on  its  fore  paws,  like  those  of  the  sloth,  to  enable  it 
to  hold  on  the  branches. 

The  Opossum  inhabits  North  America,  and  is  hunted  with 
almost  as  much  perseverance  as  the  raccoon,  for  the  sake  of  its 
flesh.  When  it  perceives  the  hunter,  it  lies  still  between  the 
branches,  but  if  disturbed  from  its  hiding-place,  it  attempts  to 


RODENTIA. 


53 


escape  by  dropping  among  the  herbage,  and  creeping  silently  away. 

Their  flesh  when  cooked  is  much  like  roast  pig.  When 
attacked  the  opossum  looks  very  fierce,  snarls,  growls,  and  will 
often  bite,  but  if  struck  will  make  believe  dead  and  will  not  stir  il 
it  is  hurt ; but  it  will  watch  slyly  and  crawl  away  as  soon  as  its 
•enemy  is  gone.  From  this  comes  our  phrase  “to  play  ’possum.” 

Its  food  consists  of  insects,  birds,  eggs,  etc.,  and  it  is  very 
destructive  among  the  hen-roosts.  The  opossum  uses  its  tail  for 
climbing  and  swinging  from  branch  to  branch  as  the  spider 
monkeys  use  theirs ; but  the  opossum  uses  its  tail  in  a manner  that 
the  monkeys  have  never  yet  been  observed  to  do,  that  is,  making 
it  a support  for  its  young,  who  sit  on  its  back  and  twist  their  tails 
round  their  mother’s  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  falling  off. 
The  length  of  the  opossum  is  about  twenty-two  inches,  and  its 
height  about  that  of  an  ordinary  cat.  When  disturbed  or  alarmed, 
it  gives  out  a very  unpleasant  odor. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Rodentia,  or  gnawing  animals,  so  called 
from  their  habit  of  gnawing  through,  or  paring  away,  the  substances 
on  which  they  feed.  For  this  purpose  their  teeth  are  admirably 
formed,  and  by  their  teeth  it  is  easy  to  ascertain  a member  of  the 
rodents.  They  have  sharp  teeth  called  canine,  such  as  are  seen  in 
the  lions  and  in  animals  which  seize  and  destroy  living  animals,  but 
in  the  front  of  each  jaw  there  are  two  long,  flat  teeth,  slightly 
curved,  and  having  a kind  of  chisel  edge  for  rasping  away  wood, 
or  other  articles. 

The  constant  labor  which  these  teeth  undergo  would  rapidlj 
wear  them  away.  To  counteract  this  loss,  the  teeth  are  constantly 
growing  and  being  pushed  forward,  so  that  as  fast  as  the  upper 
part  is  worn  away,  the  tooth  is  replenished  from  below.  So  con- 
tinual is  this  increase,  that  when  an  unfortunate  rabbit,  or  other 
rodent,  has  lost  one  of  its  incisors,  the  opposite  one,  meeting 


54  BROWN  RAT— COMMON  MOUSE— HARVEST  MOUSE. 


nothing  to  stop  its  progress,  continually  grows,  until  sometimes 
the  tooth  curls  upward  over  the  lip,  and  prevents  the  wretched 
animal  from  eating,  until  it  is  gradually  starved  to  death. 

The  Brown  Rat,  sometimes  called  the  Norway  Rat,  is  the 
species  usually  found  in  England  and  America.  It  was  some 
years  since  imported  into  this  country,  and  from  its  superior  size, 
strength,  and  ferocity,  has  completely  established  itself,  and  ex- 
pelled the  original  Black  Rat. 

It  is  at  all  times  difficult  to  get  rid  of  these  dirty,  noisy 
animals,  for  they  soon  learn  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  traps,  and  if 
they  are  poisoned  they  revenge  their  fate  by  dying  behind  a wain- 
scot or  under  a plank  of  the  floor,  and  make  the  room  uninhabitable. 

The  Common  Mouse  is  so  well  known  that  a description  of  its 
form  and  size  is  needless.  It  almost  rivals  the  rat  in  its  attacks 
upon  our  provisions,  and  is  quite  as  difficult  to  extirpate.  It  brings 
up  its  young  in  a kind  of  nest,  and  when  a board  of  long  standing 
is  taken  up  in  a room,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  under  it  a mouse’s 
nest,  composed  of  rags,  string,  paper,  shavings,  and  everything  that 
the  ingenious  little  architect  can  scrape  together.  It  is  a round 
mass  looking  something  like  a rag  ball  very  loosely  made.  When 
opened,  seven  or  eight  little  mice  will  probably  be  found  in  the 
interior — little  pink,  transparent  creatures,  three  of  which  could  go 
into  a lady’s  thimble,  sprawling  about  in  the  most  unmeaning 
manner,  apparently  greatly  distressed  at  the  sudden  cold  caused  by 
the  opening  of  their  nest.  A white  variety  of  mouse  is  tolerably 
common,  and  is  usually  bred  in  cages.  As  it  is  very  tame  and 
beautiful,  it  is  in  great  repute  as  a pet. 

The  Harvest  Mouse  is  much  smaller  than  the  ordinary  mouse, 
a half-penny  weighing  down  two  of  them  when  placed  in  a pair  of 
scales.  Its  nest  is  raised  about  a foot  and  a half  from  the  ground, 
and  supported  on  two  or  three  straws.  It  is  made  of  grass,  about 
the  size  of  a cricket  ball,  and  very  compact. 


WA  TER  RA  T—BEA  VER. 


55 


The  Water  Rat  is  a native  of  England  and  America,  and 
frequents  the  banks  of  rivers, 
brooks,  etc.  These  animals 
exist  in  great  numbers  round 
Oxford,  and  I have  repeatedly 
watched  them  feeding.  I 
never  saw  them  eating  fish, 
nor  found  fish-bones  inside 
their  holes,  except  when  a 
kingfisher  had  taken  posses- 
sion ; but  I have  frequently 
seen  them  gnawing  the  green 
bark  from  reeds,  which  they 
completely  strip,  leaving  the 
mark  of  each  tooth  as  they 
proceed. 

The  Beaver. — North 
America  is  the  principal  coun- 
try where  the  beaver  is  found, 
but  it  is  also  common  on  the 
Euphrates,  and  along  some  of 
the  larger  European  rivers,  as 
the  Rhone  and  the  Danube. 

The  houses  of  the  beaver 
are  built  of  mud,  stones,  and 
sticks.  They  are  placed  in  a 
stream,  and  their  entrance  is 
always  below  the  surface.  As 
a severe  frost  would  freeze  up 
their  doors,  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  stream  deep  enough  to  pre- 
vent the  frost  from  reaching  the  entrances.  This  object  is  attained 


THE  HARVEST  MOUSE. 


56  BEA  VER. 

by  building  a dam  across  the  river,  to  keep  back  the  water  until  it 
is  sufficiently  deep  for  the  beaver’s  purposes. 

The  dam  is  built  of  branches,  which  the  beaver  cuts  down  with 


THE  BEAVER. 

its  strong,  sharp  teeth,  and  mud  and  stones  worked  in  among  the 
branches.  The  beavers  throw  these  branches  into  the  water,  and 
sink  them  to  the  bottom  by  means  of  stones,  and  by  continually 


COMMON  PORCUPINE. 


57 


throwing  in  fresh  supplies  a strong  enbankment  is  soon  made. 

As  many  beavers  live  together  in  one  society,  the  formation  of 
a dam  does  not  take  very  long.  By  their  united  efforts  they  rapidly 
fell  even  large  trees,  by  gnawing  them  round  the  trunk,  and  always 
take  care  to  make  them  fall  toward  the  water,  so  that  they  can 
transport  the  logs  easily.  The  mud  and  stones,  used  in  the  enbank- 
ment, are  carried  between  their  chin  and  forepaws.  That  the  pond 
may  not  be  too  deep,  they  always  leave  an  opening  in  the  dam  to 
let  the  water  escape  when  it  rises  above  a certain  height.  During 
the  severe  winter  their  mud-built  houses  freeze  quite  hard,  and  prevent 
the  wolverine,  their  greatest  enemy,  except  man,  from  breaking 
through  and  devouring  the  inmates.  Every  year  the  beavers  lay  a 
fresh  coating  of  mud  upon  their  houses,  so  that  after  the  lapse  of  a 
few  years  the  walls  of  the  house  are  several  feet  in  thickness.  Many 
of  the  houses  are  built  close  together,  but  no  two  families  can  com- 
municate with  each  other,  except  by  diving  below  the  walls  and 
rising  inside  their  neighbors’  houses. 

When  in  captivity  the  beaver  soon  becomes  tame,  and  will 
industriously  build  dams  across  the  corner  of  the  room  with 
brushes,  boots,  fire-irons,  books,  or  anything  it  can  find.  When 
its  edifice  is  finished,  it  sits  in  the  centre,  apparently  satisfied  that 
it  has  made  a beautiful  structure  to  dam  up  the  river — a proof  that 
the  ingenuity  of  the  beaver  is  not  caused  by  reason,  but  by  instinct. 
The  fur  of  the  beaver,  like  that  of  many  other  animals,  consists  of 
a fine  wool  intermixed  with  long  and  stiff  hairs.  The  length  of 
the  beaver  is  about  three  feet  and  a half. 

The  Common  Porcupine  is  found  in  America,  Africa,  Tar- 
tary, Persia,  India,  and  some  parts  of  Europe.  It  lives  in  holes 
which  it  digs  in  the  ground,  and  only  comes  forth  at  night  in  order 
to  feed.  It  eats  vegetable  substances  only,  such  as  roots,  bark,  etc. 
The  array  of  spines  or  quills  with  which  this  animal  is  covered 


58 


PORCUPINE. 


forms  its  principal  means  of  defence.  If  it  cannot  escape,  it  sud- 
denly stops,  erects  all  its  quills,  and  runs  backward  against  its 
adversary,  striking  the  quills  against  him  by  the  weight  of  its  body. 

Occasionally  a looser  quill  than  usual  remains  in  the  wound  or 
falls  to  the  ground,  which  evidently  gave  rise  to  the  foolish  error 
that  the  porcupine  could  dart  its  weapons  at  its  adversary  from  a 


the  porcupine. 


distance.  There  are  two  kinds  of  these  quills — one  kind  long  and 
curved,  the  other  short,  thick,  and  pointed.  These  last  are  the 
weapons  of  defence,  as  the  former  are  too  slender  to  do  much  service. 

When  the  porcupine  walks,  its  quills  make  a kind  of  rustling 
sound,  caused  principally  by  those  arranged  on  the  tail,  which  are 
large,  hollow,  and  are  supported  on  long,  slender  stalks. 


CAPYBARA  OR  CHIGUIRA— GUINEA-PIG— HARE.  59 


The  American  Indians  use  the  quills  for  ornamenting  various 
parts  of  their  dress,  especially  their  moccasins  or  skin  shoes.  The 
length  of  the  porcupine  is  about  two  feet,  and  its  spines  or  quills 
are  from  six  to  fourteen  inches  long. 

The  Capybara  or  Chiguira  is  the  largest  of  all  the  Rodentia. 
At  first  sight,  it  looks  very  like  a pig,  and  its  skin  is  covered  thinly 
'with  hairs  like  bristles,  which  adds  to  the  resemblance.  It  inhabits 
the  borders  of  lakes  and  rivers  in  many  parts  of  Southern  America. 
During  the  day,  it  hides  among  the  thick  herbage  of  the  banks, 
only  wandering  forth  to  feed  at  night,  but  when  alarmed  it 
instantly  makes  for  the  water,  and  escapes  by  diving.  It  is  hunted 
for  the  sake  of  its  flesh,  which  is  said  to  be  remarkably  good.  The 
food  of  the  capybara  consists  of  grass,  vegetables  and  fruits.  Its 
length  is  about  three  feet  six  inches. 

The  Guinea-pig  or  Restless  Cavy  belongs  to  the  sub-family 
Caviina.  It  was  originally  brought  from  South  America.  Its 
beauty  is  its  only  recommendation,  as  it  shows  little  intelligence 
and  is  never  used  for  food.  Children,  and  particularly  school-boys,, 
are  fond  of  keeping  guinea-pigs,  as  they  are  wonderfully  prolific, 
easy  to  manage,  and  do  not  make  much  noise.  They  are  popularly 
supposed  to  keep  off  rats,  and  are  therefore  patronized  in  connection 
with  rabbit-hutches. 

The  Hare  is  one  of  our  most  common  quadrupeds.  When  full- 
grown,  it  is  larger  tjian  the  rabbit  and  exceedingly  like  that  animal, 
but  its  color  is  slightly  different,  and  the  black  spot  on  the  ex- 
tremity of  its  ears  is  a simple  method  of  distinguishing  it.  The 
hare  does  not  burrow  like  the  rabbit,  but  makes  a kind  of  nest  of 
grass  and  other  materials.  In  its  nest,  called  a “form,”  the  hare 
lies,  crouching  to  the  ground,  its  ears  laid  along  its  back,  and, 
trusting  to  its  concealment,  will  often  remain  quiet  until  the  foot  of 
an  intruder  almost  touches  it. 


6o 


RABBIT— JERBOA— DORMO  USE. 


Innumerable  foes  besides  man  surrround  this  animal.  Foxes, 
ferrets,  stoats,  and  all  their  tribe,  are  unmerciful  enemies,  and  some- 
times a large  hawk  will  destroy  a leveret,  as  the  young  hare  is 
called.  Although  destitute  of  all  meaiis  of  defence,  it  often  es- 
capes by  the  quickness  of  its  hearing  and  sight,  which  give  it  timely 
warning  of  the  approach  of  an  enemy.  In  cold  countries  the  hare 
changes  its  fur  during  winter,  and  becomes  white,  like  the  Arctic 
fox  and  ermine. 

The  well-known  Rabbit  is  rather  smaller  than  the  hare,  but 
closely  resembles  it  in  form.  It  lives  in  deep  holes,  which  it  digs 
in  the  ground.  The  female  rabbit  forms  a soft  nest  at  the  bottom 
of  her  burrow,  composed  of  fur  torn  from  her  body,  hay,  and  dried 
leaves.  Here  the  young  rabbits  are  kept  until  they  are  strong 
enough  to  shift  for  themselves  and  make  their  own  burrows. 

The  tame  rabbit  is  only  a variety,  rendered  larger  by  careful 
feeding  and  attendance. 

The  Jerboas  are  celebrated  for  their  powers  of  leaping.  Their 
long  hind  legs  enable  them  to  take  enormous  springs,  during  which 
their  tails  serve  to  balance  them.  A jerboa  when  deprived  of  its 
tail  is  afraid  to  leap. 

The  foot  of  the  jerboa  is  defended  by  long  bristly  hairs,  which 
not  only  give  the  creature  a firm  hold  of  the  ground  for  its  spring, 
but  also  defend  the  foot  from  the  burning  soil  on  which  it  lives. 
The  timidity  of  the  jerboa  is  very  great,  and  on  the  slightest  alarm 
it  instantly  rushes  to  its  burrow,  but  if  intercepted,  skims  away  over 
the  plain  with  such  rapidity  that  it  seems  to  fly,  and  when  at  full 
speed  a swift  greyhound  can  scarcely  overtake  it. 

Grain  and  bulbous  fruits  are  its  chief  food  ; while  eating,  it 
holds  the  food  with  its  fore  paws,  and  sits  upright  on  its  haunches, 
like  the  squirrels  and  marmots. 

The  Dormouse  is  very  common  in  all  the  warmer  parts  of 


THi?  hare;, 


62 


SQUIRREL. 


Europe.  It  lives  in  copses  and  among  brushwood,  through  which 
it  makes  its  way  with  such  rapidity  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  cap- 
ture. During  the  winter  its  lies  torpid,  but  takes  care  to  have  a 
stock  of  food  laid  up,  on  which  it  feeds  during  the  few  interruptions 
to  its  slumbers.  A warm  day  in  winter  will  rouse  it,  but  during  the 
cold  weather  it  lies  rolled  up,  with  its  tail  curled  round  its  body. 
While  in  this  torpid  state,  a sudden  exposure  to  heat  kills  it,  but  a 
gentle  warmth,  such  as  holding  it  in  the  hand,  rouses  it  without 
injury. 

It  lives  principally  on  nuts,  acorns,  and  grain.  It  brings  up 
its  young  in  a nest  composed  of  leaves  and  hay,  and  seems  to  be 
fond  of  society  in  its  household  labors,  as  ten  or  twelve  nests  have 
been  seen  close  to  each  other. 

The  Squirrel  is  a very  common  animal  in  the  woods,  where 
numbers  may  be  seen  frisking  about  on  the  branches,  or  running  up 
and  down  the  trunks.  If  alarmed,  it  springs  up  the  tree  with  ex- 
traordinary activity,  and  hides  behind  a branch.  -By  this  trick  it 
escapes  its  enemy,  the  hawk,  and  by  constantly  slipping  behind  the 
large  branches,  frequently  tires  him  out.  The  activity  and  daring 
of  this  little  animal  are  extraordinary.  When  pursued,  it  makes 
the  most  astonishing  leaps  from  branch  to  branch,  or  from  tree  to 
tree,  and  has  apparently  some  method  of  altering  its  direction  while 
in  the  air,  possibly  by  means  of  its  tail  acting  as  a rudder. 

It  is  easily  domesticated,  and  is  very  amusing  in  its  habits 
when  suffered  to  go  at  large  in  a room  or  kept  in  a spacious  cage ; 
but  when  confined  in  one  of  the  cruel  wheel  cages,  its  energies  and 
playfulness  are  quite  lost.  Men  often  go  about  with  squirrels  for 
sale,  and  try  to  sell  old  squirrels  for  young,  but  this  imposition  may 
be  detected  by  looking  at  the  teeth  of  the  animal,  which  are  nearly 
white  if  young,  but  if  old  are  of  a light  yellow.  Let  the  purchaser 
beware  of  very  tame  and  quiet  squirrels.  These  are  generally  ani- 


WOODCHUCK. 


63 


mals  just  caught  and  perfectly  wild,  but  are  made  sedate  by  a dose 
of  opium.  The  color  of  the  squirrel  is  usually  a deep  reddish 
brown,  and  its  tail  so  large  and  bushy  as  to  shade  its  whole  body 
when  carried  curled  over  its  back. 

Woodchuck. — A small  animal  found  almost  all  over  the  United 
States  and  Canada.  It  is  somewhat  larger  than  a rabbit  and  is 
usually  blackish  gray  on  the  back  and  reddish  brown  below.  It  digs 


THE  SQUIRREL. 


deep  holes  in  the  ground,  with  several  parts  and  entrances,  and  so 
built  that  the  water  cannot  run  into  them.  Its  food  is  chiefly  plants, 
vegetables,  and  fruit,  and  it  is  often  a great  pest  to  the  farmer. 
Woodchucks  are  very  cleanly  in  their  habits,  and  make  pretty  pets 
when  tamed.  In  the  Southern  States  they  are  sometimes  called 
ground-hogs. 


64 


RUMINANTIA. 


The  Ruminantia,  or  animals  that  chew  the  cud,  include  the 
oxen,  sheep,  and  goats,  deer,  giraffe,  and  camels.  They  have  a 
peculiar  construction  of  stomach,  which  receives  the  freshly  gath- 
ered food,  retains  it  for  some  hours,  and  then  passes  it  back  into 
the  mouth  to  be  re-masticated.  The  Ox  is  spread  widely  over  the 
earth,  scarcely  any  country  being  without  its  peculiar  breed.  In 
England  and  this  country,  where  it  is  our  most  useful  domesticated 
animal,  there  are  many  breeds  throughout  the  States,  generally  dis- 
tinguished by  the  length  or  shape  of  theii  horns.  There  is  the 
“ long-horned  breed”  from  Lancashire,  England,  the  ‘‘short- 
horned” from  Durham,  the  “middle-horned”  from  Devonshire, 
and  the  “polled”  or  hornless  breed.  Each  of  these  breeds  has 
its  particular  value ; some  fatten  easily,  and  are  kept  especially  for 
the  butcher.  Others  give  milk  and  are  valuable  for  the  dairy. 
The  best  dairy  cow  is  the  Alderney,  a small,  short-horned  animal, 
furnishing  exceedingly  rick  milk. 

In  some  parts  of  America  oxen  are  used  to  draw  wagons,  or  to 
drag  the  plough.  They  are  not  so  strong  as  horses,  and  their 
movements  are  much  slower. 

Every  part  of  the  ox  is  of  value.  We  eat  his  flesh,  we  wear 
shoes  soled  with  his  skin,  our  candles  are  made  from  his  fat,  our 
tables  are  joined  with  glue  made  from  his  hoofs,  his  hair  is  mixed 
with  the  mortar  of  our  walls,  his  horns  are  made  into  combs,  knife- 
handles,  drinking-cups,  etc. , his  bones  are  used  as  a cheap  substitute 
for  ivory,  and  the  fragments  ground  and  scattered  over  the  field  as 
manure,  and  soup  is  made  from  his  tail. 

The  young  ox  is  called  a calf,  and  is  quite  as  useful  in  its  way 
as  the  full-grown  ox.  The  flesh  is  termed  veal,  and  by  many  pre- 
ferred to  the  flesh  of  the  ox  or  the  cow,  which  is  called  beef ; jelly 
is  made  from  its  feet.  The  stomach  is  salted  and  dried,  and  is 
named  rennet.  Cheese  is  made  by  soaking  a piece  of  rennet  in 
water,  and  pouring  it  into  a vessel  of  milk.  The  milk  soon  forms 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


CAPE  BUFFALO— BISON. 


65 

a curd,  which  is  placed  in  a press,  and  the  watery  substance,  called 
whey,  squeezed  from  it.  The  curd  is  colored  and  salted,  and  is 
then  cheese. 

The  Cape  Buffalo  is  a native  of  Southern  Africa.  It  is 
exceedingly  ferocious  and  cunning,  often  lurking  among  the  trees 
until  an  unsuspecting  traveller  approached,  and  then  rushing  on 
him  and  destroying  him.  The  ferocious  creature  is  not  content 
with  killing  his  victim,  but  stands  over  him  mangling  him  with  its 
horns,  and  stamping  on  him  with  its  feet. 

The  Bison  or  Buffalo  formerly  inhabited  the  plains  or 
prairies  of  North  America  in  countless  multitudes.  Its  enormous 
and  heavy  mane,  its  fierce  eyes  and  lowering  appearance,  give  this 
animal  a most  terrific  aspect.  The  American  Indians  constantly 
hunted  the  bison,  which  they  called  by  the  name  of  buffalo. 
Their  weapons  were  principally  bows  and  arrows,  apparently  weak 
and  small,  but  which,  when  wielded  by  a skillful  hand,  would 
strike  the  huge  bison  to  the  heart.  In  Catlin’s  account  of  his 
travels  among  the  North  American  Indians  are  many  most  interest- 
ing accounts  of  “ buffalo  hunts.”  Mounted  on  a swift  horse,  and 
armed  with  a spear  and  bow  and  arrows,  the  Indians  kill  great  numbers 
of  these  animals.  They  ride  close  up  to  the  bison,  and  with  the 
greatest  apparent  ease  bury  an  arrow  up  to  its  feather  in  the  crea- 
ture’s body.  Indeed,  many  instances  are  known  where  the  slight 
Indian  bow,  drawn  without  any  perceptible  effort,  has  thrown  the 
arrow  completely  through  the  body  of  the  huge  animal.  The  skin 
is  so  valuable  that  every  exertion  is  made  to  procure  it.  Of  the 
buffalo’s  hide  they  used  to  make  their  wigwams  and  tents,  their 
shields,  their  robes,  their  shoes,  etc.  The  Indians  also  sold  the 
hides  to  the  traders  for  a considerable  sum,  so  that  an  Indian  can 
also  measure  his  importance  and  wealth  by  the  number  of  hides 
that  he  takes. 

5 


66 


YAK, 


The  hunters  take  advantage  of  the  gregarious  instincts^  of  this 
animal,  and  hunt  them  when  they  are  collected  together  in  their 
vast  herds,  which  blacken  the  face  of  the  prarie  for  miles.  Some- 
times they  form  in  line,  and  drive  the  herd  to  the  edge  of  some  tall 
cliff,  over  which  they  fall  in  hundreds,  those  behind  pushing  on 
those  in  the  van ; or  sometimes  they  form  a large  circle,  driving 
the  animals  into  a helpless  and  leaderless  mass,  into  which  the 
hunters  spring,  leaving  their  horses,  and  treading  with  the  skill 
of  rope-dancers  on  the  backs  of  the  bewildered  bisons,  whom 
they  slaughter  as  they  pass,  stepping  from  one  to  the  other,  and 
driving  the  sharp  blade  of  their  spear  through  the  spine  of  the 
animal  whose  back  they  have  just  quitted. 

The  principal  use  of  the  flesh  of  the  bison  is  to  make  “ jerked 
meat  ’ ’ of  it.  This  is  made  by  cutting  the  meat  into  long  narrow 
slips,  and  drying  them  in  the  sun.  The  cow  is  preferred  to  the  bull 
for  conversion  into  jerked  meat,  while  the  skin  of  the  bull  is  more 
valuable  than  that  of  the  cow,  from  the  mass  of  wooly  hair  about 
the  shoulders. 

The  flesh  of  the  bison  is  tolerable  eating,  but  the  ‘ 1 hump  ’ ’ 
appears  from  all  accounts  to  be  unapproachable  in  delicacy.  It  is 
exceedingly  tender,  and  possesses  the  property  of  not  cloying  even 
when  eaten  in  excess.  The  fat  also  is  said  to  be  devoid  of  that 
sickening  richness  which  is  usually  met  with  in  our  domesticated 
animals. 

The  cow  is  smaller  than  the  bull,  and  considerably  swifter. 
She  is  also  generally  in  better  condition  and  fatter  than  her  mate, 
and  in  consequence  the  hunters  who  go  to  “get  meat”  always 
select  the  cows  from  the  herd. 

The  Yak  inhabits  Tartary.  Of  this  animal  in  a native  state 
little  or  nothing  is  known.  The  name  of  “ grunniens,”  or  grunt- 
ing, is  derived  from  the  peculiar  sound  that  it  utters.  The  tail  of 


THE  BISON, 


68 


GNOO,  OR  WILDEBEEST— KOODOO, 


the  yak  is  very  long  and  fine,  and  is  used  in  India  as  a fan  or  whisk 
to  keep  off  the  mosquitoes.  The  tail  is  fixed  into  an  ivory  or  metal 
handle,  and  is  then  called  a chowrie.  Elephants  are  sometimes, 
taught  to  carry  a chowrie,  and  wave  it  about  in  the  air  above  the 
heads  of  those  who  ride  on  its  back.  In  Turkey,  the  tail  is  called 
a “ horse-tail,”  and  is  used  as  an  emblem  of  dignity. 

From  the  shoulders  of  the  yak  a mass  of  long  hair  falls  almost 
to  the  ground,  something  like  the  mane  of  a lion.  This  hair  is 
applied  to  various  purposes  by  the  Tartars.  They  weave  it  into 
cloth,  of  which  they  not  only  make  articles  of  dress,  but  also  tents, 
and  even  the  ropes  which  sustain  the  tents. 

The  Gnoo,  or  Wildebeest,  inhabits  Southern  Africa.  At 
first  sight  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether  the  horse,  buffalo,  or  deer 
predominates  in  its  form.  It  however  belongs  to  neither  of  these 
animals,  but  is  one  of  the  bovine  antelopes.  The  horns  cover  the 
top  of  the  forehead,  and  then,  sweeping  downward  over  the  face, 
turn  boldly  upward  with  a sharp  curve.  The  neck  is  furnished  with 
a mane  like  that  of  the  horse,  and  the  legs  are  formed  like  those  of 
the  stag.  It  is  a very  swift  animal,  and  when  provoked,  very 
dangerous.  When  it  attacks  an  opponent  it  drops  on  its  knees,  and 
then  springs  forward  with  such  force,  that,  unless  he  is  extremely 
wary  and  active,  he  cannot  avoid  its  shock. 

When  it  is  taken  young,  the  gnoo  can  be  domesticated,  and 
brought  up  with  other  cattle,  but  it  will  not  bear  confinement,  and 
is  liable  to  become  savage  under  restraint.  There  are  several  species 
of  this  animal,  the  common  Gnoo,  the  Cocoon,  and  the  Brindled 
Gnoo.  The  size  of  the  gnoo  is  about  that  of  a well-grown  ass,  that 
is,  about  four  feet  in  height.  Its  flesh  is  in  great  repute  both  among 
the  natives  and  .colonists. 


The  Koodoo  is  a native  of  South  Africa,  living  along  the 
wooded  borders  of  rivers.  It  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  beautiful 


GAZELLE — CHAMOIS— ANTEL  0/E. 


69 


shaped  horns,  which  are  about  four  feet  in  length  and  twisted  into 
a large  spiral  of  about  two  turns  and  a half.  A bold  ridge  runs 
along  the  horns  and  follows  their  curvature.  When  hard  pressed  it 
always  takes  to  the  water,  and  endeavors  to  escape  by  its  powers  of 
swimming.  Although  a large  animal,  nearly  four  feet  in  height, 
it  can  leap  with  wonderful  activity.  The  weight  of  the  horns  is 
very  considerable,  and  partly  to  relieve  itself  of  that  weight,  and 
partly  to  guard  them  from  entanglement  in  the  bushes  among  which 
it  lives,  and  on  which  it  feeds,  it  carries  its  head  backward,  so  that 
the  horns  rest  on  its  shoulders. 

The  Gazelle  inhabits  Arabia  and  Syria.  Its  eyes  are  very 
large,  dark,  and  lustrous,  so  that  the  Oriental  poets  love  to  com- 
pare the  eyes  of  a woman  to  those  of  a gazelle.  It  is  easily  tamed 
when  young,  and  is  frequently  seen  domesticated  in  the  court -yards 
of  houses  in  Syria.  Its  swiftness  is  so  great  that  even  a greyhound 
cannot  overtake  it,  and  the  hunters  are  forced  to  make  use  of 
hawks,  which  are  trained  to  strike  at  the  head  of  the  gazelle,  and 
thus  confuse  it,  and  retard  its  speed,  so  as  to  permit  the  dogs  to 
come  up.  The  height  of  the  gazelle  is  about  one  foot  nine  inches  ; 
its  color  a dark  yellowish  brown  fading  into  white  on  the  under 
parts. 

The  Chamois  is  found  only  in  mountainous  regions,  especially 
the  Alpine  chains  of  Europe  and  Western  Asia.  It  lives  on  the 
loftiest  ridges,  displaying  wonderful  activity,  and  leaping  with  cer- 
tainty and  security  on  places  where  the  eye  can  hardly  discern 
room  for  its  feet.  The  skin  of  the  chamois  is  used  extensively  by 
shoemakers. 

The  Antelope. — The  Pronghorn,  one  of  the  antelopes  of 
North  America,  is  about  as  large  as  the  common  deer,  and  has 
coarse  hair,  yellowish-brown  above,  and  white  on  the  rump  and 
under  part.  The  hoofs,  horns,  and  end  of  the  nose  are  black. 


70 


ANTELOPE. 


The  horns,  which  grow  nearly  straight  up  and  bend  toward  each 
other  at  the  top,  have  each  a single  branch  or  prong  about  half 
way  up,  and  from  this  the  animal  gets  its  name.  The  pronghorn 
is  often  seen  by  travellers  on  the  Pacific  Railway.  One  will  some- 
times run  beside  a train  for  a mile  or  two,  as  if  trying  to  run  a race 


the  gazeixe. 


with  it.  Its  speed  is  so  great  that  it  is  almost  useless  to  chase  it ; 
but  it  is  not  a hard  animal  to  kill,  because  it  has  so  much  curiosity 
that  if  the  hunter  waves  a handkerchief  it  will  come  near  enough 
to  be  shot.  The  Indians  lie  flat  on  their  backs  and  kick  up  their 
heels,  with  a rag  or  some  other  thing  fastened  to  them,  and  the 


IBEX— GOA  T— SHEEP. 


7* 


pronghorns,  coming  up  to  see  what  the  strange  thing  is,  get  near 
enough  to  be  killed  with  the  bow  and  arrow. 

The  Ibex  inhabits  the  Alpine  regions  of  Europe  and  Western 
Asia.  It  is  instantly  recognized  by  its  magnificent  horns,  which 
curve  with  a bold  sweep  from  the  head  almost  to  the  haunches. 
The  horns  are  surrounded  at  regular  intervals  with  rings,  and  are 
immensely  strong,  serving,  as  some  say,  to  break  the  fall  of  the 
ibex  when  it  makes  a leap  from  a height.  The  height  of  the  ibex 
is  two  feet  six  inches  ; the  length  of  its  horns  often  three  feet. 

The  common  Goat  is  not  in  much  request  in  England  and 
America,  but  in  some  other  countries,  as  Syria  and  Switzerland, 
large  herds  of  goats  are  kept  for  the  sake  of  their  milk,  and  in  fact 
almost  entirely  take  the  place  of  the  cow.  The  most  celebrated 
variety  of  this  animal  is  the  Cashmere  goat,  which  furnishes  the 
beautiful  fine  wool  from  which  the  costly  Cashmere  shawls  are 
made. 

The  Sheep.  -^There  are  many  kinds  of  sheep,  among  which 
the  common  sheep,  the  long-tailed  sheep,  and  the  Wallachiap 
sheep  are  the  most  conspicuous.  Next  to  the  cow  the  sheep  is  our 
most  useful  animal.  California  produces  better  wool  than  any 
country ; for  although  the  wool  of  the  Spanish  sheep  is  finer  than 
ours,  it  is  much  less  in  quantity.  The  Merino,  as  this  sheep  is 
called,  is  annually  conducted  from  one  part  of  the  country  to  an- 
other, and  back  again. 

The  Long-tailed  Sheep  inhabits  Syria  and  Egypt.  Its  tail  is 
so  large  and  so  loaded  with  fat,  that,  to  prevent  it  from  being  in- 
jured by  dragging  on  the  ground,  a board  is  fastened  to  the  under 
side  of  it,  and  wheels  are  often  attached  to  the  board.  The  peculiar 
fat  of  the  tail  is  considered  a great  delicacy,  and  is  so  soft  as  to  be 
frequently  used  as  butter.  The  weight  of  a large  tail  is  about 
seventy  pounds. 


72 


GIRAFFE. 


The  Wallachian  or  Cretan  Sheep  is  found  in  Crete,  Wallachia, 
Hungary,  and  Western  Asia.  Its  horns  are  exceedingly  large,  and 
are  twisted  in  a manner  resembling  the  koodoo.  It  is  very  strong,, 
and  extremely  vicious  and  unruly.  In  this  and  several  other  sheep 
the  fleece  is  composed  of  wool  and  hair  mixed.  The  hair  of  the 
Wallachian  sheep  is  long  and  silky  like  that  of  a spaniel,  and  of 
great  length,  falling  almost  to  the  ground. 

The  Giraffe. — This  beautiful  and  extraordinary  animal  is 
found  only  in  South  Africa.  As  the  gnoo  seems  to  combine  the 
properties  of  the  antelope,  horse,  and  buffalo,  so  the  giraffe  appears 
to  bear  the  characteristics  of  the  antelope  and  the  camel.  In  the 
opinion  of  modern  naturalists,  it  holds  a place  by  itself  between 
the  deer  and  antelopes.  It  forms,  at  all  events,  a group  to  which  no 
other  animals  belong. 

The  height  of  the  giraffe  varies  from  thirteen  to  eighteen  feet. 
Its  beautiful  long  neck  enables  it  to  browse  on  the  leaves  of  the 
trees  on  which  it  feeds.  It  is  very  dainty  while  feeding,  and  plucks 
the  leaves  one  by  one  with  its  long  and  flexible  tongue. 

On  its  head  are  two  very  remarkable  projections,  closely  re- 
sembling horns.  These  projections  are  not  horns,  but  only  thick- 
enings of  the  bone  of  the  skull,  covered  with  skin,  and  bearing  a 
tuft  of  black  hair  at  the  extremity  of  each.  The  fore  legs  at  first 
sight  appear  longer  than  the  hind  ones,  but  this  apparent  differ- 
ence is  only  caused  by  the  great  length  of  the  shoulder-blades,  as 
both  pair  of  legs  are  of  the  same  length  at  their  junction  with  the 
body.  Its  eyes  are  very  large  and  prominent,  so  that  the  animal 
can  see  on  every  side  without  turning  its  head.  Just  over  and  be- 
tween the  eyes  is  a third  bony  prominence,  resembling  the  project- 
ing enlargements  of  the  skull,  called  horns. 

The  use  of  these  projections  is  not  very  well  known,  as  although 
in  play  the  giraffe  will  swing  its  head  round  and  strike  with  it.  vet 


the  giraffe. 


s 


74 


GIRAFFE. 


when  it  wishes  to  repel  an  assailant  it  has  recourse  to  violent  and 
rapid  kicks  from  its  hind  legs.  So  light  and  swift  are  these  kicks 
that  the  eye  can  scarcely  follow  them,  and  so  powerful  are  they  that 
the  lion  is  not  unfrequently  driven  off  by  them. 

The  skin  of  this  animal  is  an  inch  and  a half  in  thickness,  so 
that  it  is  necessary  for  the  hunter  to  make  very  sure  of  his  aim  be- 
fore he  fires  at  an  animal  so  well  defended.  The  giraffe  has  much 
difficulty  in  reaching  the  ground  with  its  mouth,  nor  does  it  often 
attempt  to  do  so,  unless  it  is  bribed  with  something  of  which  it  is 
very  fond,  such  as  a lump  of  sugar.  It  then  straddles  widely  with 
its  fore  legs,  and  with  some  trouble  succeeds  in  reaching  the  object 
aimed  at.  The  first  living  giraffes,  in  the  possession  of  the  Zoo- 
logical Society,  were  brought  by  M.  Thibaut.  He  succeeded  in 
taking  four,  all  of  which  he  brought  with  him.  One  of  them  is  still 
living.  From  this  stock  several  giraffes  have  been  born,  some  of 
which  are  now  in  England,  and  others  have  been  sent  to  other 
countries. 

The  tongue  of  the  giraffe  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  parts 
of  its  structure.  It  is  very  flexible  and  capable  of  great  changes  of 
form,  the  giraffe  being  able  to  contract  it  so  that  its  tip  could  enter 
an  ordinary  quill.  The  animal  is  very  fond  of  exercising  its  tongue, 
and  sometimes  pulls  the  hairs  from  its  companions’  manes  and  tails, 
and  swallows  them — no  very  easy  feat,  as  the  hair  of  the  tail  is  often 
more  than  four  feet  long. 

The  movements  of  the  giraffe  are  very  peculiar,  the  limbs  of 
each  side  appearing  to  act  together.  It  is  very  swift,  and  can  out- 
run a horse,  especially  if  it  can  get  among  broken  ground  and 
rocks,  over  wrhich  it  leaps  with  a succession  of  frog-like  hops. 
The  giraffes  which  were  born  and  bred  in  this  country  seem  very- 
healthy  and  are  exceedingly  tame.  They  eat  herbs,  such  as  grass, 
hay,  carrots,  and  onions.  When  cut  grass  is  given  to  them,  they 


The;  came;!., 


76 


CAMEL— LLAMA. 


cat  off  the  upper  parts  and  leave  the  coarse  stems,  just  as  we  eat 
asparagus. 

The  Camel. — There  is  much  confusion  about  the  names  of 
the  camels.  The  Bactrian  Camel  is  distinguished  by  bearing  two 
humps  on  its  back,  the  Arabian  Camel  by  bearing  only  one.  The 
Arabian  camel  is  sometimes,  but  erroneously,  called  the  Drome- 
dary, as  the  Dromedary  is  a lighter  variety  of  that  animal,  and 
only  used  when  dispatch  is  required.  The  camel  forms  the  prin- 
cipal wealth  of  the  Arab ; without  it  he  could  never  attempt  to 
penetrate  the  vast  deserts  where  it  lives,  as  its  remarkable  power 
of  drinking  at  one  draught  sufficient  water  to  serve  it  for  several 
days,  enables  it  to  march  from  station  to  station  without  requiring 
to  drink  by  the  way.  The  peculiar  structure  of  its  stomach  gives  it 
this  most  useful  power.  In  its  stomach  are  a great  number  of  deep 
cells,  into  which  the  water  passes,  and  is  then  prevented  from 
escaping  by  a muscle  which  closes  the  mouth  of  the  cells.  When 
the  camel  feels  thirsty,  it  has  the  power  of  casting  some  of  the 
water  contained  in  these  cells  into  its  mouth.  The  habits  of  this 
animal  are  very  interesting. 

The  foot  of  the  camel  is  admirably  adapted  for  walking  on  the 
loose  sand,  being  composed  of  large  elastic  pads,  which  spread  as 
the  foot  is  placed  on  the  ground.  To  guard  it  from  injury  when  it 
kneels  down  to  be  loaded,  the  parts  of  the  body  on  which  its  weight 
rests  are  defended  by  thick  callosities.  The  largest  of  these  cal- 
losities is  on  the  chest,  and  others  are  placed  on  the  joints  of  the 
legs. 

The  Bactrian  camel  inhabits  Central  Asia,  Thibet,  and  China. 

The  Llamas,  of  which  there  are  several  species,  inhabit 
America,  and  are  used  for  the  same  purpose  as  the  camel.  When 
wild  they  are  very  timid,  and  fly  from  a pursuer  the  moment  that 
they  see  him ; but  their  curiosity  is  so  great  that  the  hunter  often 


RED- DEER,  OR  STAG. 


77 


secures  them  by  lying  on  the  ground  and  throwing  his  legs  and 
arms  about.  The  llamas  come  to  see  what  the  extraordinary  animal 
can  be,  and  give  the  hunter  an  opportunity  of  firing  several  shots, 
which  the  astonished  animals  consider  as  a part  of  the  performance. 

The  llamas,  like  the  camel,  have  a series  of  cells  in  the  stomach 
for  containing  water,  and  can  go  for  several  days  without  requiring 
to  drink.  If  too  heavily  laden,  or  when  they  are  weary,  they  lie 
down,  and  no  threats  or  punishment  will  induce  them  to  rise,  so 
that  their  masters  are  forced  to  unload  them.  When  offended 
they  have  a very  unpleasant  habit  of  spitting  at  the  object  of  their 
anger. 

The  fleece  of  the  llama  is  very  long  and  fine,  more  resembling 
silk  than  wool.  It  is  very  valuable,  and  is  extensively  imported 
into  this  country  for  the  purpose  of  making  cloth  and  other  fabrics. 
The  fleece  of  the  Alpaca  is  considered  the  best,  as  it  is  sometimes 
twelve  inches  in  length,  and  very  fine.  In  Chili  and  Peru  the 
natives  domesticate  the  llama,  which  in  the  state  of  captivity  fre- 
quently becomes  white.  It  is  by  no  means  a large  animal,  as  it 
measures  about  four  feet  six  inches  in  height.  In  general  shape  it 
resembles  the  camel,  but  has  no  hump  on  its  back,  and  its  feet  are 
provided  with  sharp  hoofs  for  climbing  the  rocky  hills  among  which 
it  lives. 

The  Red-Deer,  or  Stag,  is  the  largest  of  our  deer.  In  the 
language  of  hunters,  it  bears  different  names,  according  to  the  size, 
of  its  horns,  which  increase  year  by  year.  All  the  male  deer  have 
horns,  which  they  shed  every  year,  and  renew  again.  The  process 
of  renewal  is  most  interesting.  A skin,  filled  with  arteries,  covers 
the  projections  on  which  the  horns  rest.  This  skin,  called  the 
“ velvet,”  is  engaged  in  continually  depositing  bone  on  the  foot- 
stalks, which  rapidly  increase  in  size.  As  the  budding  horns  in- 
crease, the  velvet  increases  also,  and  the  course  of  the  arteries  is 


73 


FALLOW-DEER— REINDEER. 


■marked  on  the  horn  by  long  furrows,  which  are  never  obliterated. 
When  the  horn  has  reached  its  full  growth,  it  cannot  be  at  once 
used,  as  the  velvet  is  very  tender,  and  would  bleed  profusely  if 
wounded.  The  velvet  cannot  be  suddenly  removed,  as  the  blood 
that  formed  the  arteries  would  rush  to  the  brain  and  destroy  the 
animal.  A ring  of  bone  forms  round  the  root  of  each  horn, 
leaving  passages  through  which  the  arteries  pass.  By  degrees, 
these  passages  become  narrow,  and  finally  close  entirely,  tnus 
gradually  shutting  off  the  blood.  The  velvet  being  deprived  of 
its  nourishment,  dies,  and  is  peeled  off  by  the  deer,  by  rubbing 
against  a tree,  leaving  the  white,  hard  horn  beneath. 

Hunting  the  stag  is  a very  favorite  amusement  in  many  coun- 
tries, and  packs  of  hounds,  called  stag-hounds,  are  kept  expressly 
for  that  purpose. 

The  Fallow-Deer  are  usually  seen  in  parks.  One  large  buck 
always  takes  the  lead,  and  suffers  none  but  a few  favorite  does  to 
approach  his  regal  presence,  all  the  other  bucks  moving  humbly 
away  directly  he  makes  his  appearance.  They  are  generally  tame, 
and  will  suffer  people  to  come  very  close  to  them  ; but  at  certain 
times  of  the  year  they  become  savage,  and  will  not  permit  any  one 
to  approach  their  domains.  If  an  intruder  is  bold  enough  to  ven- 
ture within  the  proscribed  distance,  the  buck  will  instantly  charge 
upon  him.  They  soon  become  familiar  with  those  who  treat  them 
with  kindness,  and  will  eat  from  their  hands. 

The  Reindeer  is  found  throughout  the  Arctic  regions  of 
Europe,  Asia,  and  America.  The  finest  animals  are  those  of  Lap- 
land  and  Spitzbergen.  The  Laplander  finds  his  chief  wealth  in  the 
possession  of  the  reindeer,  which  not  only  serves  him  as  a beast  of 
burden,  but  furnishes  him  also  with  food  and  clothing.  A Lap- 
lander in  good  circumstances  possesses  about  three  or  four  hundred 
deer,  which  enable  him  to  live  in  comfort.  The  subsistence  of  one 


THE  RED-DEER,  OR  STAG. 


8o 


EUROPEAN  ELK— PA  CHYDERMA  TA— HORSE. 


who  only  possesses  one  hundred  is  very  precarious,  and  he  who  has 
only  fifty  usually  joins  his  animals  with  the  herd  of  some  richer 
man,  and  takes  the  menial  labors  upon  himself: 

The  reindeer  feeds  principally  on  a kind  of  lichen,  which  it 
scrapes  from  beneath  the  snow.  During  the  winter  its  coat  thickens, 
and  assumes  a lighter  hue,  many  deer  being  almost  white.  Its 
hoofs  are  divided  very  high,  so  that  when  the  animal  places  its  foot 
on  the  ground,  the  hoofs  spread  wide,  and  as  it  raises  the  foot,  a 
snapping  noise  is  heard,  caused  by  the  parts  of  the  hoofs  closing 
together.  When  harnessed  to  a sledge,  it  can  draw  from  250  to 
300  pounds’  weight  at  about  ten  miles  an  hour. 

The  European  Elk  inhabits  the  northern  parts  of  Europe.  It 
was  considered  at  one  time  to  be  identical  with  the  American  Elk, 
but  naturalists  now  believe  it  to  be  a distinct  animal.  Its  usual 
pace  is  a high  awkward  trot,  but  when  frightened,  it  sometimes 
gallops.  It  is  very  strong,  and  can  destroy  a wolf  with  a single 
blow  of  its  large  and  powerful  horns.  In  Sweden  it  was  formerly 
used  to  draw  sledges,  but  on  account  of  the  facility  of  escape 
offered  to  criminals  by  its  great  speed,  the  use  of  it  was  forbidden 
under  high  penalties.  The  skin  of  the  elk  is  so  tough,  that  a regi- 
ment of  soldiers  was  furnished  with  waistcoats  made  of  its  hide 
which  could  scarcely  be  penetrated  by  a ball. 

Like  the  reindeer,  the  elk  makes  a great  clattering  with  its 
hoofs  when  in  rapid  motion.  It  is  a good  swimmer,  and  is  fond  of 
taking  to  the  water  in  summer-time. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Pachyderm ata,  or  thick-skinned  ani- 
mals which  do  not  chew  the  cud.  The  first  on  the  list  is  the 
Horse,  an  animal  too  well  known  in  all  its  varieties  to  need  much 
description. 

The  Arabian  Horse  is  a model  of  elegance  and  beauty.  The 


PIGEONS  AND  PEACOCK 


6 


THE  REINDEER. 


82 


HORSE. 


Arab  treats  his  horse  as  one  of  his  family  ; it  lives  in  the  same  tent 
with  him,  eats  from  his  hand,  and  sleeps  among  his  children,  who 
tumble  about  on  it  without  the  least  fear.  Few  Arabs  can  be 
induced  to  part  with  a favorite  horse. 

The  plains  of  La  Plata  and  Paraguay  are  tenanted  by  vast 
herds  of  wild  horses.  These  are  captured  by  the  lasso,  bitted, 
mounted,  and  broken  within  an  hour,  by  the  daring  and  skilful 
Gauchos. 

The  English  Horse,  from  which  the  best  horses  in  the  United 
States  have  come,  has  much  Arabian  and  Barb  blood  in  it.  The 
racehorse  is  swifter  for  short  distances  than  the  best  Arabian  horse. 
It  is  much  like  the  Arabian  in  looks,  but  is  taller  and  longer,  and 
has  changed  in  color.  The  Arabian  horse  is  generally  white,  light 
gray,  or  flea-bitten,  but  the  racehorse  is  more  usually  bay  and 
chestnut.  The  changes  have  probably  come  from  the  difference  in 
the  climate  and  in  the  way  the  horses  are  brought  up.  The  Amer- 
ican racehorse  is  descended  from  the  English  racehorse,  and  is 
therefore  also  of  Arabian  blood. 

The  Godolphin  Arabian,  Flying  Childers,  Iroquois,  and  Fox- 
hall  are  four  of  the  most  celebrated  racers. 

The  fastest  mile  ever  run  by  a racehorse  in  the  United  States 
up  to  1894  was  made  by  the  horse  Salvator  in  one  minute  thirty- 
five  and  one-half  (1.35^)  seconds. 

The  Trotting  Horse  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  is  the 
fastest  in  the  world.  It  is  not  a thoroughbred  horse,  or  a horse  of 
pure  racing  blood,  like  the  racehouse,  but  is  generally  a descendant 
of  a cross  between  the  racehorse  and  some  common  breed  ; but  a 
few  thoroughbred  racing  horses  have  been  taught  to  trot  very  fast. 
It  is  not  usually  as  tall  as  the  running  horse,  and  is  sometimes 
small.  There  is  also  a good  breed  of  trotting  horses  in  Russia, 
called  Orloff  trotter,  which  is  faster  than  common  horses,  but  not 


THE  RACEHORSE. 


84 


HORSE. 


so  fast  as  the  American  trotter.  The  fastest  mile  ever  trotted  in 
the  United  States  up  to  1894  was  made  at  Galesburg,  Illinois,  by 
the  mare  Alix  in  two  minutes  and  three  and  three-quarter  (2.03^) 
seconds. 

Draught  Horses,  or  horses  used  for  drawing  heavy  loads,  are 
raised  in  many  countries.  In  France  the  Percheron  breed  has  been 
noted  for  hundreds  of  years.  Many  of  them  are  to  be  seen  in 
Paris,  where  they  are  much  used  for  drawing  omnibuses  and  busi- 
ness wagons,  and  some  of  them  are  used  in  the  United  States. 
They  are  large,  heavy  horses,  with  large  heads.  In  England  the 
breeds  called  the  Suffolk,  the  Cleveland  Bay,  and  the  Clydesdale 
are  noted  for  their  size  and  strength.  The  Flanders  horse,  of  Bel- 
gium and  Holland,  is  very  large,  heavy,  and  strong.  Many  of  the 
great  horses  used  by  brewers  in  London  and  Paris  are  of  this 
breed. 

All  these  breeds  are  called  heavy  draught  horses,  because  they 
are  used  in  the  heaviest  kinds  of  trucks  and  large  wagons.  There 
are  also  light  draught  horses,  for  drawing  lighter  loads,  which  are 
not  quite  so  heavy  in  the  body  and  are  quicker  in  their  motions. 

The  carriage  horse  is  of  a lighter  and  more  elegant  form  than 
the  common  draught  horse,  but  is  generally  large  and  strong.  The 
saddle  horse  should  be  a little  smaller  than  the  carriage  horse,  and 
should  be  graceful  and  active  in  all  its  movements  It  should  be 
taught  not  only  to  obey  the  rein,  but  to  understand  every  motion 
of  its  rider. 

Ponies  are  found  in  many  countries.  Among  the  most  noted 
are  the  Shetland  ponies,  raised  in  the  islands  of  the  same  name, 
north  of  Scotland,  where  they  are  called  Shelties.  Some  of  these 
little  horses  are  not  much  larger  than  a great  dog,  but  they  ^re  very 
strong,  and  will  carry  a man  with  ease.  The  Indians  of  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  United  States  have  a breed  of  ponies  which  are  very 


THE  ZEBRA, 


86 


ASS— ZEBRA— ELEPHANT. 


hardy  and  strong.  One  of  them  will  travel  all  day  long  with  a 
heavy  man  on  its  back. 

The  Ass. — The  humble  and  hardy  ass  is  scarcely  less  service- 
able to  man  than  the  more  imposing  horse.  In  this  country,  where 
it  meets  with  harsh  treatment,  is  scantily  fed,  and  only  used  for 
laborious  tasks,  it  is  dull  and  obstinate  ; but  in  the  East,  where  it 
is  employed  by  rich  nobles,  and  is  properly  treated,  it  is  an  ele- 
gant and  spirited  animal,  with  good  action  and  smooth  coat. 

The  Zebra  is  found  in  South  Africa.  This  beautiful  animal 
lives  in  troops  among  the  mountains,  shunning  the  presence  of 
man.  It  is  easily  distinguished  by  the  regular  stripes  of  brownish 
black  with  which  its  whole  body  is  covered,  even  down  to  the 
hoofs.  It  is  very  wild  and  suspicious,  carefully  placing  sentinels  to 
look  out  for  danger.  Notwithstanding  these  precautions,  several 
zebras  have  been  taken  alive,  and  some,  in  spite  of  their  vicious 
habits,  have  been  trained  to  draw  a carriage.  In  all  probability  it 
might  be  domesticated  like  the  ass,  as  the  black  cross  on  the  back 
and  shoulders  of  the  latter  animal  prove  the  affinity  between  them. 
The  voice  of  the  zebra  is  very  peculiar. 

The  Elephant. — Of  this  magnificent  animal,  whose  form  is 
familiar  to  every  eye,  two  species  are  known,  the  Indian  and  the 
African.  The  anatomy  of  the  huge  quadruped  is  well  worthy 
of  consideration.  Its  head  and  tusks  are  so  very  heavy  that 
no  long  neck  would  bear  them ; the  neck  is  therefore  very 
short.  But  this  shortness  of  neck  prevents  the  elephant  from  put- 
ting its  head  to  the  ground,  or  from  stooping  to  the  water’s  edge. 
This  apparent  defect  is  compensated  by  the  wonderful  manner  in 
which  its  upper  lip  and  nose  are  elongated,  and  rendered  capable 
of  drawing  up  water  or  plucking  grass.  In  the  proboscis  or  trunk 
there  are  about  forty  thousand  muscles,  enabling  the  elephant  to 
shorten,  lengthen,  coil  up,  or  move  in  any  direction  this  most  ex- 


ELEPHANT. 


37 


'traordinary  organ.  The  trunk  is  pierced  throughout  its  length  by 
two  canals,  through  which  liquid  can  be  drawn  by  suction.  If  the 
elephant  wishes  to  drink,  after  drawing  the  liquid  into  its  trunk,  it 
inserts  the  end  of  its  proboscis  into  its  mouth,  and  discharges  the 
contents  down  its  throat ; but  if  it  merely  wishes  to  wash  itself  or 
play,  it  blows  the  contained  liquid  from  the  trunk  with  great  vio- 
lence. Through  the  trunk  the  curious  trumpet-like  voice  of  the 
elephant  is  produced.  At  the  extremity  is  a finger-like  appendage, 
with  which  it  can  pick  up  small  objects.  In  order  to  sustain  the 
muscles  of  the  jaw  and  neck,  the  head  must  be  very  large ; were  it 
solid,  it  would  be  very  heavy.  The  skull  is  therefore  formed  of  a 
number  of  cells  of  bone,  forming  the  necessary  expanse  without 
the  weight,  leaving  but  a very  small  cavity  for  the  brain. 

The  Indian  Elephant  is  almost  invariably  taken  from  its  native 
haunts  and  then  trained.  The  Indian  hunters  proceed  into  the 
woods  with  two  trained  female  elephants.  ■ These  advance  quietly, 
and  by  their  blandishments  so  occupy  the  attention  of  any  unfortu- 
nate male  that  they  meet,  that  the  hunters  are  enabled  to  tie  his 
legs  together  and  fasten  him  to  a tree.  His  treacherous  com- 
panions now  leave  him  to  struggle  in  impotent  rage,  until  he  is  so 
subdued  by  hunger  and  fatigue  that  the  hunters  can  drive  him  home 
between  their  two  tame  elephants.  When  once  captured  he  is 
easily  trained. 

In  captivity,  it  is  very  docile  and  gentle,  but  sometimes  when 
provoked,  will  take  a very  ample  revenge.  Of  this  propensity,  many 
anecdotes  are  told.  The  tusks  and  teeth  of  the  elephant  furnish 
exceedingly  fine  ivory,  which  is  used  for  various  purposes,  such  as 
knife-handles,  combs,  billiard-balls,  etc. 

All  elephants  are  fond  of  the  water,  and  sometimes  submerge 
themselves  so  far  that  nothing  but  the  tip  of  the  proboscis  remains 
above  the  surface.  In  a tame  state,  the  elephant  delights  in  con- 


88 


TAPIR— BOAR. 


cealing  itself  below  the  water,  and  deluging  the  spectators  with  a 
stream  sent  from  its  trunk. 

The  African  Elephant  is  distinguised  from  the  Indian  Elephant 
by  the  markings  of  its  teeth  and  some  differences  in  form. 

The  Tapir  forms  one  of  the  links  connecting  the  elephant 
with  the  hog.  The  snout  is  lengthened  into  a kind  of  proboscis 
like  that  of  the  elephant,  but  it  is  comparatively  short,  and  has  no 
ringer-like  appendage  at  the  extremity. 

The  Common  Tapir  is  spread  throughout  the  warmer  regions 
of  South  America.  It  sleeps  during  the  day,  and  wanders  about 
at  night  in  search  of  its  food,  which  consists  of  watermelons, 
gourds,  and  other  vegetables.  It  is  very  fond  of  the  water,  and  can 
remain  below  the  surface  for  a considerable  period.  It  is  a very 
powerful  animal,  and  as  it  is  furnished  with  a very  thick  hide,  it 
plunges  through  the  brushwood,  breaking  its  way  through  any  obsta- 
cles that  may  oppose  its  progress.  Its  disposition  is  gentle,  but 
when  annoyed  it  sometimes  rushes  at  its  antagonist,  and  defends 
itself  vigorously  with  its  powerful  teeth.  The  jaguar  frequently 
springs  on  it,  but  is  often  dislodged  by  the  activity  of  the  tapir,  who 
rushes  through  the  bushes  immediately  that  it  feels  the  claws  of  its 
enemy,  and  endeavors  to  brush  him  off  against  the  thick  branches. 
The  height  of  the  American  Tapir  is  from  five  to  six  feet.  The 
Malay  Tapir  is  somewhat  larger,  and  is  known  by  the  grayish  white 
color  of  the  loins  and  hind  quarters,  which  give  the  animal  an  ap- 
pearance as  if  a white  horse-cloth  had  been  spread  over  it. 

The  Boar. — The  animals  composing  the  Hog  tribe  are  found 
in  almost  every  part  of  the  globe*  Their  feet  are  cloven  and  ex- 
ternally resemble  those  of  the  Ruminants,  but  an  examination  of 
the  bones  at  once  points  out  the  difference. 

The  Wild  Hog  or  Boar  inhabits  many  parts  of  Europe,  es- 
pecially the  forests  of  Germany,  where  the  chase  of  the  wild  boar  is 


90  DOMESTIC  HOG— BAB  YROUSSA— RHINOCEROS. 


a common  amusement.  In  our  Southern  States  the  woods  are  full 
of  half  wild  ones.  Its  tusks  are  terrible  weapons,  and  capable  of 
being  used  with  fatal  effect.  They  curve  outward  from  the  lower 
jaw,  and  are  sometimes  eight  or  ten  inches  in  length.  In  India, 
where  the  boar  attains  to  a great  size,  the  horses  on  which  the 
hunters  are  mounted  often  refuse  to  bring  their  riders  within  spear 
stroke  of  the  infuriated  animal,  which  has  been  known  to  kill  a 
horse  and  severely  injure  the  rider  with  one  swoop  of  its  enormous 
tusks. 

The  Domestic  Hog  scarcely  needs  any  description.  It  is  by  no 
means  the  unclean  and  filthy  animal  that  moralists  love  to  represent 
it.  It  certainly  is  fond  of  wallowing  in  the  mire,  as  are  the  ele- 
phant, tapir,  etc. , but  no  animal  seems  to  enjoy  clean  straw  more 
than  the  hog.  We  shut  it  up  in  a dirty  narrow  crib,  -give  it  any 
kind  of  refuse  to  eat,  and  then  abuse  it  for  being  a dirty  animal  and 
an  unclean  feeder. 

The  Babyroussa  inhabits  the  Molucca  Islands  and  Java.  It 
is  remarkable  for  possessing  four  tusks,  two  of  which  proceed  from 
the  upper  jaw,  and  do  not  pass  out  between  the  lips,  but  through 
an  aperture  in  the  skin,  half  way  between  the  end  of  the  snout  and 
eyes.  The  sockets  of  the  two  upper  tusks  are  curved  upward,  and 
give  a singular  appearance  to  the  skull  of  the  animal.  It  looks  a 
ferocious  animal,  nor  do  its  looks  contradict  its  habits,  as  it  is  very 
savage,  and  cannot  be  hunted  without  danger.  Yet  when  taken 
young  it  can  be  tamed  without  much  difficulty,  and  conducts  itself 
much  after  the  manner  of  a well-behaved  pig. 

The  Rhinoceros. — There  are,  apparently,  six  species  of  this 
formidable  animal,  inhabiting  various  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa. 
They  can  be  distinguished  from  each  other  by  the  number  and 
shape  of  their  horns,  and  the  color  of  their  bodies.  Their  habits 
are  much  alike. 


THE  INDIAN  RHINOCEROS. 


92 


HIPPO  P O TA  MUS. 


The  rhinoceros  is  always  a surly  and  ill-tempered  animal,  and 
is  much  given  to  making  unprovoked  attacks  on  man  and  beast,  if 
it  should  happen  to  fancy  itself  insulted  by  their  presence.  Their 
chief  peculiarity,  the  so-called  horn,  is  a mass  of  fibres  matted  to- 
gether, and  closely  resembling  the  structure  of  whalebone.  Their 
feet  are  divided  into  three  toes,  encased  in  hoofs.  The  horn  is  not 
connected  with  the  skull,  but  is  merely  a growth  from  the  skin,  from 
which  it  can  be  separated  by  means  of  a sharp  penknife.  Being 
made  of  very  strong  materials,  it  is  employed  in  the  manufacture  of 
ramrods,  clubs,  and  other  similar  implements.  When  properly 
worked  it  is  capable  of  taking  a very  high  polish,  and  is  often  cut 
into  drinking-cups. 

The  organs  of  scent  of  the  rhinoceros  are  very  acute,  and  as  the 
creature  seems  to  have  a peculiar  faculty  for  detecting  the  presence 
of  human  beings,  it  is  necessary  for  the  hunters  to  use  the  greatest 
circumspection  when  they  approach  it,  whether  to  avoid  or  kill,  as 
in  the  one  case  it  may  probably  be  taken  with  a sudden  fit  of  fury, 
and  charge  at  them,  or  in  the  other  case,  it  may  take  the  alarm  and 
escape. 

The  upper  lip  is  used  by  the  rhinoceros  as  an  instrument  of 
prehension,  with  which  it  can  grasp  the  herbage  on  which  it  feeds, 
or  pick  up  small  fruit  from  the*  ground.  The  very  tame  rhinoceros 
in  the  Zoological  Gardens  will  take  a piece  of  bun  or  biscuit  from 
a visitor’s  hand  by  means  of  its  flexible  upper  lip. 

The  Hippopotamus. — There  is,  in  all  probability,  but  one 
species  of  hippopotamus.  It  inhabits  Africa  exclusively,  and  is 
found  in  plenty  on  the  banks  of  many  rivers  in  that  country,  where 
it  may  be  seen  gambolling  and  snorting  at  all  times  of  the  day. 

These  animals  are  quiet  and  inoffensive  while  undisturbed,  but 
if  attacked,  they  unite  to  repel  the  invader,  and  have  been  known 
to  tear  several  planks  from  the  side  of  a boat,  and  sink  it.  They 


THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


94 


HIPPO  PO  TAMUS. 


can  remain  about  five  or  six  minutes  under  water,  and  when  they 
emerge  they  make  a loud  and  very  peculiar  snorting  noise,  which 
can  be  heard  at  a great  distance. 

The  hide  is  very  thick  and  strong,  and  is  chiefly  used  for 
whips.  The  well-known  4 ‘ cow-hides  ” are  made  of  this  material. 
Between  the  skin  and  flesh  is  a layer  of  fat,  which  is  salted  and 
eaten  by  the  Dutch  colonists  of  Southern  Africa.  When  salted  it 
is  called  Zee-koe  speck,  or  Sea-cow’s  bacon.  The  flesh  is  also  in 
some  request. 

The  hippopotamus  feeds  entirely  on  vegetable  substances,  such 
as  grass  and  brushwood.  The  fine  animal  now  in  the  possession  of 
the  Zoological  Society  eats  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  not  disdaining 
roots. 

From  the  construction  of  the  head,  the  animal  is  enabled  to  raise 
its  eyes  and  nostrils  above  the  water  at  the  same  time,  so  that  it  can 
survey  the  prospect  and  breathe  without  raising  more  than  an  inch 
or  two  of  its  person  from  the  water.  In  order  to  attain  this  object, 
the  eyes  are  very  small,  and  placed  very  high  in  the  head,  while 
the  muzzle  is  very  large,  and  the  nostrils  open  on  its  upper  surface. 

The  track  of  the  hippopotamus  may  be  readily  distinguished 
from  that  of  any  other  animal  by  a line  of  unbroken  herbage  which 
is  left  between  the  marks  of  the  feet  on  each  side,  as  the  width  of 
the  space  between  the  right  and  left  legs  causes  the  animal  to  place 
its  feet  so  considerably  apart,  as  to  make  a distinct  double  track. 

The  teeth  of  the  hippopotamus  are  the  mainstay  of  the  dentist, 
who  cuts  from  the  tusk  of  a hippopotamus  those  series  of  elegant 
teeth  which  replace  those  that  age  or  accident  has  struck  out  of  the 
human  mouth.  The  ivory  is  exceedingly  hard,  and  does  not  readily 
lose  its  beautiful  whiteness,  being  properties  which  render  it  espe- 
cially valuable  for  such  purposes.  This  is  supposed  by  many  to  be 
the  animal  called  Behemoth  in  Scripture. 


SEAL, 


95 


The  Seals  and  Whales,  although  they  are  truly  mammalia, 
are  inhabitants  of  the  water,  and  specially  formed  for  an  aquatic 
existence. 

The  fore  feet  of  the  seal  are  used  as  fins,  and  the  two  hinder 
feet  almost  as  the  tail  of  a fish,  to  assist  and  direct  its  course.  On 


THE  COMMON  SEAL. 


land  the  movements  of  this  animal  are  very  clumsy;  it  shuffles 
along  by  means  of  its  fore  feet,  or  rather  paddles,  and  drags  its 
hind  feet  after  it. 

Seals  live  during  warm  weather  mostly  in  the  cold  regions  of 
the  north  and  south  poles,  and  go  into  milder  waters  in  the  winter. 
Their  food  is  chiefly  fish,  and  they  sometimes  chase  salmon  quite 


SEAL. 


y- 

far  up  rivers.  They  like  to  bask  in  the  sun  upon  rocks,  sand' 
banks,  or  ice-floes,  always  keeping  a good  lookout  for  danger. 
They  can  see  far,  and  their  sense  of  smell  is  very  sharp. 

Seals  live  mostly  on  mollusks,  crabs,  and  fish.  In  the  winter 
they  make  holes  in  the  ice,  where  they  can  come  up  to  breathe. 
Sometimes  one  comes  out  to  eat  a fish.  The  Esquimaux  watch  near 
seal  holes  until  one  is  seen  coming  up,  then  crawl  softly  along  on 
the  ice,  making  a cry  like  a seal,  and  the  poor  animal,  who  takes  it 
for  another  seal,  does  not  discover  its  mistake  until  it  gets  a deadly 
blow. 

Seals  are  among  the  most  useful  of  animals  to  man.  • The 
Greenlanders  use  their  flesh  for  food  ; their  oil  for  light,  warmth, 
and  cooking ; their  skins  for  clothes,  boots,  and  coverings  of  boats 
and  tents  ; their  sinews  for  thread  and  fishing-lines ; the  skins  of 
the  entrails  for  window-curtains  and  shirts ; and  their  blood  for 
making  soup.  Seal-skins  are  an  important  article  of  commerce, 
and  the  seal  fishery  is  largely  carried  on  along  the  coast  of  New- 
foundland and  Labrador,  and  also  on  the  islands  off  the  coast  of 
Alaska.  The  fur  in  its  natural  state  is  yellowish,  spotted  and 
marked  with  brown,  and  is  unfit  for  use  until  it  is  dyed.  Dressed 
seal-skins  are  largely  used  for  ladies’  cloaks,  capes,  etc.  The  skins 
are  tanned  sometimes  and  made  into  a fine  soft  leather  for  pocket- 
books,  card-cases,  and  other  things.  Seal  oil,  made  from  the 
blubber  or  fat,  is  more  valuable  than  whale  oil. 

The  length  of  the  common  seal  is  about  four  or  five  feet,  and 
its  weight  often  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  pounds.  When  sur- 
prised basking  on  the  shore,  it  scrambles  off  toward  the  water  ; but 
if  intercepted,  dashes  at  its  antagonist,  oversets  him  if  possible, 
and  makes  its  escape  as  fast  as  it  can. 

There  are  many  seals  known,  among  which  are  the  Sea  Leop- 
ard, a spotted  species  ; the  Harp  Seal,  so  called  because  the  mark- 
ings on  its  back  resemble  a lyre  ; the  Sea  Bear  and  the  Sea  Lion. 

> 


WALRUS. 


97 


The  Walrus  inhabits  the  northern  seas,  but  has  been  known 
to  visit  our  coasts.  The  most  remarkable  point  in  the  walrus  is  the 
great  length  of  its  upper  canine  teeth,  which  extend  downward  for 
nearly  two  feet,  and  resemble  the  tusks  of  the  elephant.  They 


THE  WALRUS. 


furnish  very  fine  ivory,  and  are  extensively  used  by  dentists  in 
making  artificial  teeth,  as  teeth  made  from  them  remain  white  much 
longer  than  those  made  from  the  tusks  of  elephants.  These  tusks 
are  used  by  the  walrus  for  climbing  the  rocks  or  heaps  of  ice,  and 

7 


CETACEA,  OR  WHALE. 


also  for  digging  up  the  sea-weeds  on  which  the  animal  mostly  sub- 
sists.  It  will  also  eat  shrimps  and  young  seals. 

The  walrus  is  often  hunted  for  the  sake  of  its  oil,  its  flesh,  its 
skin,  and  its  teeth.  It  is  generally  found  in  troops  ; and  if  one  is 
wounded,  its  companions  rush  to  its  rescue,  and  attack  the  enemy 
with  their  sharp  tusks,  which  they  have  been  known  to  drive 
through  the  bottom  of  a boat.  The  length  of  the  walrus  is  about 
fifteen  or  sixteen  feet,  and  it  yields  from  twenty  to  thirty  gallons  of 
excellent  oil. 

The  Cetacea,  or  Whale  tribe,  closely  resembles  the  fishes,  and 
have  often  been  placed  among  these  animals  by  naturalists.  They, 
however,  are  distinguished  by  possessing  warm  blood,  and,  in  conse- 
quence, being  forced  to  rise  at  intervals  in  order  to  breathe  the  air, 
instead  of  separating  from  the  water,  by  means  of  their  gills,  suffi- 
cient oxygen  for  supporting  life. 

Yet  the  whale  remains  under  water  for  a time  so  much  longer 
than  could  be  borne  by  any  other  warm-blooded  animal,  that  the 
most  indifferent  observer  cannot  fail  to  perceive  that  the  whale  is 
furnished  with  some  plan  for  supporting  life  during  its  stay  under 
the  water. 

Along  the  interior  of  the  ribs  there  is  a vast  collection  of 
blood-vessels,  ramifying  from  one  another,  and  capable  of  contain- 
ing a large  quantity  of  blood,  having  no  immediate  connection  with 
that  portion  of  the  blood  which  is  already  circulating  in  the 
body.  As  fast  as  the  exhausted  and  poisonous  blood  returns  from 
its  work,  it  passes  into  another  reservoir  adapted  for  its  necessities, 
while  a portion  of  the  arterialized  blood  in  the  arterial  reservoir 
passes  into  the  circulation.  It  will  be  seen  from  this  statement, 
that  the  whale,  and  others  of  the  same  order,  possess  more  blood 
in  proportion  than  any  animals. 

By  means  of  this  wonderful  apparatus,  a whale  can  remain 


WHALE. 


99 


below  the  water  for  more  than  half  an  hour  at  a time.  The  depths 
to  which  the  whale  can  descend  are  astonishing,  wounded  whales 
having  been  known  to  take  down  perpendicularly  nearly  800 
fathoms  of  line.  The  pressure  of  the  water  at  this  depth  is  very 
great,  amounting,  according  to  Scoresby’s  calculation,  to  211,200 
tons.  This  pressure  would  certainly  cause  the  water  to  burst 
through  their  nostrils,  and  enter  the  lungs,  were  it  not  that  the 
nostrils  are  formed  so  as  to  close  themselves  more  firmly  as  the 
pressure  of  water  increases. 

The  great  Greenland  Whale  is  found  in  the  northern  oceans. 
Many  ships  are  annually  fitted  out  for  the  capture  of  this  creature, 
which,  unhappily  for  itself,  furnishes  oil  and  whalebone.  The  oil 
is  obtained  from  the  thick  layer  of  fatty  substance,  called  blubber, 
which  lies  immediately  under  the  skin  ; and  the  whalebone — which, 
by  the  way,  is  not  bone  at  all — is  obtained  from  the  interior  of  the 
mouth,  where  it  fringes  the  jaws,  and  acts  as  a sieve  for  the  whale 
to  strain  his  food  through.  The  throat  of  the  Greenland  whale  is 
so  small  that  the  sailors,  who  always  use  forcible  expressions,  say 
that  a penny  loaf  would  choke  a whale. 

The  greater  portion  of  its  food  consists  of  a little  creature, 
about  an  inch  and  a half  long,  called  Clio  borealis,  one  of  the 
marine  Mollusca,  belonging  to  the  class  Pteropida,  or  wing-footed 
creatures,  so  called  because  it  propels  itself  through  the  water  with 
two  wing-like  organs.  The  whale,  when  it  wishes  to  feed,  rushes 
through  the  water  with  its  immense  jaws  wide  open,  enclosing  a 
host  of  little  sea  animals  and  a few  hogsheads  of  water.  As  the 
whale  only  wants  the  animals,  and  not  th«  water,  it  shuts  its  mouth, 
and  drives  all  the  water  out  through  the  fringes  of  whalebone, 
leaving  the  little  creatures  in  its  jaws. 

The  whale  shows  great  attachment  for  its  young,  which  is 
called  the  cub,  and  on  the  approach  of  danger  seizes  it  with  its  fin 


IOO 


CACHALOT. 


or  flipper,  and  carries  it  down  out  of  the  way.  The  whale  has  no 
fins,  properly  so  called,  as  it  is  not  a fish,  but  one  of  the  mammalia. 
Its  flippers,  which  supply  the  place  of  fins,  are  in  fact  fore  legs, 
furnished  with  a kind  of  hand  covered  with  a thick  skin.  They 
seem  to  be  principally  employed  in  balancing  the  animal.  The 
hind  legs  are  wanting.  The  length  of  this  whale  averages  sixty 
feet.  Its  tail  is  placed  transversely,  and  not  vertically,  as  in  the 
fishes. 

The  Cachalot. — This  animal  is  not  furnished  with  “ baleen,’ * 
or  whalebone,  but  is  armed  with  a number  of  strong  conical  teeth, 
which  are  placed  in  the  lower  jaw,  and  which  are  often  used  in 
defending  itself  from  the  attacks  of  the  whalers’  boats.  In  the 
Museum  at  Oxford  is  an  under  jaw-bone  of  this  whale,  sixteen  and 
a half  feet  in  length,  containing  forty-eight  huge  teeth.  Besides 
this  method  of  defence,  it  has  a very  unpleasant  habit  of  swimming 
off  to  a distance,  and  then  rushing  at  the  boat  with  its  head,  therebv 
knocking  it  to  pieces.  One  of  these  whales  actually  sank  a ship 
by  three  or  four  blows  from  its  head. 

Spermaceti  is  obtained  from  the  head  of  the  cachalot,  and  it 
is  this  substance  that  causes  the  immense  size  of  the  head.  When 
the  whale  is  killed,  a hole  is  made  in  the  upper  part  of  the  head, 
and  the  spermaceti  is  baled  out  with  buckets.  When  just  procured 
it  is  almost  fluid,  but  is  rendered  solid  and  transparent  by  being 
first  drained  of  its  oil,  then  boiled  in  water,  and  lastly  set  to  cool 
in  wide  pans,  where  it  soon  assumes  the  white  flaky  appearance  so 
well  known  in  this  country. 

The  skull  of  the  cachalot  occupies  a comparatively  small  por- 
tion of  the  head,  the  huge  mass  at  the  end  of  the  mouth  being 
composed  of  a gristly  kind  of  substance.  The  bone  of  the  upper 
jaw  occupies  about  one-fourth  of  the  distance  between  the  mouth 
and  the  top  of  the  snout.  It  runs  backward  nearly  straight  until 


THE  GREENLAND  VVHAEE. 


102 


PORPOISE. 


just  before  the  eyes,  when  it  joins  the  remainder  of  the  skull  with  a 
bold  sweep.  That  part  of  the  skull  is  called  “ Neptune’s  chair” 
by  the  sailors,  and  is  the  part  where  the  spermaceti  is  found.  The 
layer  of  blubber  is  thin,  but  yields  a fine  and  valuable  oil. 

Ambergris,  so  long  a riddle  to  all  inquirers,  is  now  found  to  be 
produced  in  the  interior  of  the  cachalot.  This  substance  is  of  the 
consistency  of  wax,  inflammable,  and  gives  out  a kind  of  musky 
odor.  It  was  once  in  great  repute  as  a medicine,  but  is  now  only 
used  as  a perfume.  The  cachalot,  although  an  inhabitant  of  the 
Artie  seas,  has  sometimes  been  found  and  captured  off  our  coasts. 
The  length  of  this  whale  is  about  seventy  feet. 

Those  readers  who  have  formed  their  ideas  of  Dolphins  from 
the  very  graceful  and  elegant  creatures  represented  under  that  name 
in  the  pictures  of  the  “old  masters,”  will  find  that  the  real  animal 
differs  very  much  from  the  ideal.  Almost  the  whole  history  of  the 
dolphin  is  imaginary.  Alas  ! our  unpoetical  dolphin,  when  we 
have  harpooned  and  brought  him  on  deck,  is  only  black  and  white, 
and  all  the  change  that  he  makes  is  that  the  black  becomes  brown 
in  time,  and  the  white  changes  to  gray. 

The  creature  that  really  displays  these  colors  when  dying  is  a 
fish  called  the  Coryphene,  and  not  a cetaceous  animal  of  any  kind. 
The  sailors  generally  call  it  the  dolphin,  which  has  led  to  the  mis- 
take. 

The  dolphin  is,  like  the  whale,  a warm-blooded  animal,  suckles 
its  young,  and  it  forced  to  come  to  the  surface  in  order  to  breathe. 
Its  snout  is  very  long,  and  is  apparently  used  for  capturing  such 
fish,  and  other  animals  as  live  in  the  mud.  Its  length  is  from  six 
to  ten  feet,  and  several  species  are  known. 

The  Porpoise. — These  animals  may  be  observed  in  plenty 
playing  their  absurd  antics  off  every  coast  of  America.  There  are 
numbers  of  them  off  the  Nore,  a place  which  they  frequent  greatly. 


NAR  WHAL— SLOTH. 


103 


as  it  is  the  mouth  of  a river,  and  they  find  more  food  there  than  in 
the  open  sea.  They  tumble  at  the  surface  of  the  water  for  the 
purpose  of  breathing.  In  olden  times  the  flesh  of  the  porpoise 
constituted  one  of  the  standard  delicacies  of  a public  feast,  but  it 
has  long  since  been  deposed  from  its  rank  at  the  table.  Its  flesh 
has  a very  strong  oily  flavor. 

It  feeds  on  various  fishes,  but  its  great  feasts  are  held  when  the 
periodical  shoals  of  herrings,  pilcards,  and  other  fish  arrive  on  the 
coasts.  In  the  pursuit  of  its  prey  it  frequently  ventures  some  dis- 
tance up  a river,  and  is  then  often  taken  in  nets  by  the  fishermen. 

The  teeth  of  this  animal  are  very  numerous,  and  interlock 
when  the  jaws  are  closed,  so  that  the  fish,  when  once  seized,  cannot 
escape.  Its  length  is  about  five  feet,  its  color  a rich  black,  becom- 
ing white  on  the  under  side. 

The  Narwhal  has  unwittingly  contributed  to  propagate  a very 
old  error.  The  spiral  tusk  of  the  narwhal  was  accustomed  to  be 
sold  as  the  real  horn  of  the  unicorn  ; and  as  an  accredited  part  of 
that  animal,  forming  direct  proof  of  its  existence,  it  used  to  fetch  a 
very  high  price.  Of  course,  when  the  whale  fishery  was  estab- 
lished, the  real  owner  of  the  horn  was  discovered,  and  the  unicorn 
left  still  enveloped  in  mystery. 

The  narwhal  possesses  two  of  these  tusks,  one  on  each  side  of 
its  head.  Only  the  left  tusk  projects,  the  other  remaining  within 
the  head.  Sometimes  a specimen  has  been  found  with  both  tusks 
projecting,  and  some  think  that  when  the  left  tusk  has  been  broken 
off  by  accident,  the  right  one  becomes  large  enough  to  supply  its 
place.  Although  an  inhabitant  of  the  northern  seas,  it  has  several 
times  visited  our  coasts.  Its  body  is  from  thirty  to  forty  feet  in 
length,  and  its  tusk  from  five  to  nine. 

The  Sloth  is  another  example  of  the  errors  into  which  even 
great  naturalists  are  led  from  hasty  observation.  The  great  Cuvier 


I 

104 


PANGOLINS. 


himself  condemns  the  sloth  as  a degraded  and  miserable  animal, 
moving  with  pain,  and  misshapen  in  form.  Yet  no  animal  is  more 
fitted  for  its  position  than  the  sloth.  “ In  its  wild  state  the  sloth 
spends  its  whole  life  in  the  trees,  and  never  leaves  them  but  through 
force  or  accident,  and  what  is  more  extraordinary,  not  upon  the 
branches,  like  the  squirrel  and  monkey,  but  under  them.  He 
moves  suspended  from  the  branch,  he  rests  suspended  from  the 
branch,  and  he  sleeps  suspended  from  the  branch.  ’ ’ 

To  render  it  fit  for  this  singular  mode  of  life,  its  long  and 
powerful  arms  are  furnished  with  strong  curved  claws,  which  hook 
round  the  branches,  and  keep  the  animal  suspended  without  any 
effort.  When  on  the  ground,  these  claws  are  very  inconvenient, 
and  it  can  barely  shuffle  along ; but  when  it  is  among  its  native 
branches,  it  moves  with  exceeding  rapidity,  particularly  in  a gale 
of  wind,  when  it  passes  from  branch  to  branch,  and  from  tree  to 
tree,  with  an  activity  which  its  movements  on  the  ground  by  no 
means  portend. 

The  Pangolins  are  immediately  known  by  the  peculiar,  strong, 
horny  plates  with  which  their  bodies  are  defended,  giving  them  the 
appearance  of  animals  enveloped  in  a suit  of  scale  armor.  When 
attacked  they  roll  themselves  up,  wrap  their  tails  round  them,  and 
raise  the  whole  array  of  sharp-edged  scales  with  which  their  body 
is  covered,  and  bid  defiance  to  almost  any  enemy  except  man. 
They  live  on  ants  and  termites,  or  white  ants,  as  they  are  called, 
which  they  take  by  thrusting  their  long,  slender  tongue  among  the 
ants,  which  adhere  to  it  by  a gummy  saliva.  When  the  tongue  is 
covered  it  is  rapidly  retracted,  and  the.  ants  swallowed.  To  obtain 
the  ants,  the  pangolins  are  furnished  with  powerful  claws  to  tear 
down  the  dwellings  of  their  prey.  The  Long-tailed  Manis  is  widely 
scattered  through  Africa,  but  is  not  very  common.  The  length  of 
its  body  is  about  two  feet,  and  that  of  its  tail  rather  more  than 


ARMADILLO— ANT-EA  TER 


105 


three.  The  Short-tailed  Manis,  or  Bajjerkeit,  is  very  common  in 
India.  Its  entire  length  is  about  four  feet. 

The  Armadillos  live  exclusively  in  the  warmer  parts  of 
America.  They  eat  carrion,  insects,  and  sometimes  fallen  fruit. 
They  burrow  with  great  rapidity,  and  can  only  be  forced  from  their 
refuge  by  smoke  or  water.  When  they  are  hunted  and  are  very 


THE  ARMADILLO. 

close  pressed,  they  either  endeavor  to  escape  their  foes  by  rapidly 
burrowing  into  the  earth,  or  try  to  oppose  a partial  resistance  by 
rolling  themselves  up  and  trusting  to  the  protection  of  their  armor. 
The  natives  and  colonists  consider  them  great  delicacies  when 
roasted  in  their  shells. 

The  Ant-eater. — This  curious  animal  inhabits  Guiana,  Brazil, 
and  Paraguay.  As  its  name  imports,  it  lives  principally  upon  ants 


io6 


DUCK-BILLED  PLATYPUS. 


and  termites,  which  it  procures  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  was 
related  of  the  manis.  Its  short  legs  and  long  claws  would  lead  an 
observer  to  suppose  that  its  pace  was  slow  and  constrained,  but 
when  chased,  it  runs  off  with  a peculiar  trot,  and  with  such  rapidity 
that  it  keeps  a horse  to  its  speed  to  overtake  it. 

The  tongue  of  this  animal  looks  exactly  like  a great  red  worm, 
and  when  the  creature  is  engaged  in  devouring  its  food,  the  rapid 
coiling  and  twisting  of  the  tongue  add  in  no  small  degree  to  the 
resemblance.  The  claws  are  very  long  and  curved,  and  as  they  are 
used  in  tearing  down  the  habitation  of  the  termites  or  white  ants,  as 
they  are  called,  are  exceedingly  strong.  They  are  placed  on  the 
foot  in  such  a manner  that  when  the  animal  is  walking,  its  weight 
rests  on  the  outside  of  the  fore  feet  and  the  outer  edge  of  the  claws, 
which  make  a great  clattering  if  the  ant-eater  is  walking  upon  a 
hard  surface. 

When  it  sleeps,  it  lies  on  one  side,  rolls  itself  up,  so  that  its 
snout  rests  on  its  breast,  places  all  its  feet  together,  and  covers 
itself  with  its  bushy  tail.  The  fur  of  the  animal  at  all  times 
resembles  hay,  and  when  it  is  thus  curled  up  in  sleep,  it  is  so 
exactly  like  a bundle  of  hay,  that  any  one  might  pass  it  carelessly, 
imagining  it  to  be  nothing  but  a loose  heap  of  that  substance. 
The  ordinary  length  of  this  animal  is  about  three  feet  seven  inches, 
and  its  height  about  three  feet. 

The  Duck-billed  Platypus. — Australia,  where  everything 
seems  to  be  reversed,  where  the  north  wind  is  warm  and  the  south 
wind  cold,  the  thick  end  of  a pear  is  next  the  stem,  and  the  stone  of 
a cherry  grows  outside,  is  the  residence  of  this  most  extraordinary 
animal.  When  it  was  first  introduced  into  Europe,  it  was  fully 
believed  to  be  the  manufacture  of  some  impostor,  who  with  much 
ingenuity  had  fixed  the  beak  of  a duck  into  the  head  of  some 
unknown  animal.  It  will,  however,  be  seen  by  the  woodcut  rep- 


BIRDS. 


107 


resenting  the  skull  of  the  animal,  that  this  duck-like  beak  really 
belongs  to  the  animal,  and  is  caused  by  a prolongation  of  some  of 
the  bones  of  the  head. 

It  lives  by  the  banks  of  rivers,  in  which  it  burrows  like  the 
water-rat.  Curiously  enough,  it  finds  no  difficulty  in  this  labor,  for 
the  feet  are  so  constructed  that  the  animal  can  fold  back  the  web 
at  pleasure,  and  thus  the  foot  is  enabled  to  perform  its  task.  It 
feeds  upon  water-insects  and  shell-fish,  always  rejecting  the  crushed 
shells  after  swallowing  the  inhabitant.  The  male  has  a sharp  spur 
on  its  hind  feet.  The  learned  have  given  the  animal  several 
names.  The  native  name  for  the  creature  is  “ Mullingong.  ” 

BIRDS. 

Birds  are  distinguished  from  the  Mammalia  by  their  general 
form,  their  feathery  covering,  and  by  producing  their  young 
enclosed  in  eggs.  The  different  orders  of  birds  are  principally 
known  by  the  character  of  the  claws  and  beak.  Before  we  pay 
attention  to  any  individual  species,  we  will  first  examine  some  of 
the  structures  common  to  all  birds.  One  of  the  first  great  marks 
of  distinction  in  birds  is  the  wing.  This  organ  is  a modification  of 
the  arm  or  fore  limb  of  mammalia,  clothed  with  feathers  instead  of 
hair. 

The  bones  of  adult  birds  are  not  filled  with  marrow  like  the 
bones  of  Mammalia,  but  are  hollow  and  filled  with  air,  and  are 
therefore  rendered  very  light,  a bone  of  a goose  being  barely  half 
the  weight  of  a rabbit’s  bone  of  the  same  size,  after  the  marrow 
has  been  extracted.  The  bones  forming  the  wing  are  worthy  of 
notice  for  the  beautiful  manner  in  which  they  are  jointed  together, 
and  arranged  so  as  to  give  great  strength  together  with  lightness. 

Most  persons  seem  to  fancy  that  the  foot  of  the  bird  is  that 
part  which  grasps  the  branch,  or  by  means  of  which  it  walks  on 


108  LAMMERGEYER,  OR  BEARDED  VULTURE . 

the  ground,  that  the  joint  above  that  member  is  the  knee,  and  that 
the  thigh  is  the  feathered  portion  of  the  limb  that  proceeds  from 
the  bird’s  body.  All  these  ideas  are  wrong;  with  this  method  of 
arrangement,  the  knee  of  the  bird  would  bend  backward,  a thing 
which  no  perfectly  formed  knee  ever  did  or  ever  will  do. 

The  leg  of  a bird  is  formed  on  much  the  same  principle  as  the 
hind  leg  of  a quadruped,  the  part  that  grasps  the  branches  being 
composed  of  the  toes , the  so-called  knee-joints  being  the  heel  bone 
of  the  foot,  so  that  the  whole  foot  reaches  half  way  from  the  perch 
to  the  bird.  The  knee-joint  is  placed  high  up  against  the  body, 
and  is  buried  in  the  feathers. 

As  the  wing  presents  a very  broad  surface  to  the  air,  it  is 
necessary  that  very  powerful  muscles  should  be  used  to  move  it 
with  sufficient  rapidity.  The  pectoral  muscles  are  therefore 
enormously  developed,  extending  almost  the  whole  length  of  the 
body,  as  every  one  who  has  carved  a fowl  must  have  seen  ; and  in 
order  to  form  an  attachment  for  these  immense  muscles,  the  ridge 
of  the  breast-bone  is  equally  enlarged.  It  is  the  want  of  these 
enlarged  muscles  that  prevents  man  from  flying,  even  when  he  has 
attached  wings  to  his  arms.  The  principal  characteristics  of  birds 
are  taken  from  their  foot  and  beak. 

The  Lammergeyer  (Germ.  Lamb'  s-vultiii'e')i  or  Bearded 
Vulture,  inhabits  most  mountain  ranges,  and  is  very  common  in 
the  Alps  of  Switzerland  and  Germany,  where,  from  its  depreda- 
tions on  the  kids  and  lambs,  it  has  earned  its  name  of  Lammer- 
geyer. It  is  not  strictly  a vulture,  as  its  head  and  neck  are 
feathered,  and  it  rejects  putrid  flesh,  unless  hard  pressed  by  hunger. 
It  destroys  hares,  and  young  or  sickly  sheep  and  goats,  nor,  when 
when  rendered  fierce  by  hunger,  does  it  fear  to  attack  the  adult 
chamois,  or  even  man.  It  is  exceedingly  bold,  and  shows  but 
little  fear  of  man.  While  Bruce  was  preparing  his  dinner  on  the 


THIS  KING  VULTURE. 


■■ 


1 1 o CO  ND  OR—  VUL  TURE. 

summit  of  mountain,  one  of  these  birds,  after  scalding  its  feet 
in  several  unavailing  attempts  to  extract  some  meat  out  of  the 
boiling  water,  actually  seized  a piece  from  a platter,  and  went  off 
with  it. 

The  name  of  “ Bearded  M Vulture  is  given  to  it  on  account  of 
the  long  tuft  of  hairs  with  which  each  nostril  is  clothed.  The 
length  of  its  body  is  about  four  feet,  and  the  expanse  of  its  wings 
from  nine  to  ten.  The  second  and  third  primary  feathers  are  the 
longest.  It  lays  two  eggs — white,  marked  with  brown  blotches. 

The  Condor. — These  birds  are  distinguished  by  the  wattles 
on  their  beaks,  their  naked  necks,  and  the  size  of  the  nostrils. 
The  third  primary  feather  is  the  longest.  The  condor  inhabits  the 
Andes  of  South  America,  always  choosing  its  residence  on  the 
summit  of  a solitary  rock.  This  bird  does  not  build  any  nest,  but 
lays  its  two  white  eggs  on  the  bare  rock  after  the  manner  of  many 
sea-birds.  It  is  a very  large  bird,  the  expanse  of  wing  being  nine 
or  ten  feet,  and  the  length  of  the  bird  about  three  feet.  It  is 
exceedingly  strong  and  tenacious  of  life.  Two  condors  will  attack 
and  kill  the  llama,  or  even  the  puma ; for  by  their  repeated  buffet- 
ing and  pecking  they  weary  it  so  completely  that  it  yields  to  their 
perseverance. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  true  Vultures.  These  birds  are  the 
representatives  of  the  carrion-devouring  animals,  such  as  the 
hyenas,  wild  dogs,  etc.  They  however  do  not,  as  the  hyenas  and 
wild  dogs,  attack  living  animals.  The  neck  of  the  vulture  is 
almost  naked,  very  slightly  sprinkled  with  down,  and  from  the  for- 
mation of  the  lower  part  of  the  neck,  the  bird  is  enabled  to  draw 
its  head  almost  under  the  feathers  of  its  shoulders,  so  that  a hasty 
observer  would  conclude  that  the  creature  had  no  neck  at  all. 

The  marvellous  quickness  with  which  the  vultures  discover  a 
dead  animal  has  caused  many  discussions  among  naturalists  as  to 





* 


EAGLE . 


ii 


the  sense  employed ; some  declaring  entirely  for  sight,  and  others 
asserting  that  the  scent  of  putrid  animal  matter  leads  the  vultures 
to  their  prey. 

The  probability  is  that  both  senses  are  used,  one  aiding  the 
other;  for  in  an  experiment,  where  a dead  hog  was  hidden  under 
canes  and  briers,  numbers  of  vultures  were  seen  sailing  in  all  direc- 
tions over  the  spot,  evidently  directed  by  the  scent,  but  unable  to 
discover  by  their  eyes  the  exact  position  of  the  animal.  The  olfac- 
tory nerves  of  the  vulture  are  beautifully  developed. 

The  Griffon  Vulture  is  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  old 
world.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  of  its  group,  measuring  upward  of 
four  feet  in  length.  Like  most  of  the  vultures,  it  does  not  appear 
to  move  its  wings  while  flying,  but  soars  on  expanded  pinions  in 
large  circles,  apparently  gaining  the  necessary  impetus  by  the 
movements  of  its  head  and  body. 

Vultures  are  generally  protected  by  the  natives  of  the  country 
where  they  reside,  on  account  of  their  great  utility  in  clearing 
away  the  putrid  animal  matter. 

Eagles. — The  beak  of  this  family  is  strong  and  curved,  the 
feet  furnished  with  sharp  talons,  and  their  wings  are  large,  power- 
ful, and  slightly  rounded,  the  fourth  primary  feather  being  the 
longest. 

The  Bald  Eagle  is  celebrated  as  being  the  type  which  has 
been  chosen  by  the  American  people  as  the  emblem  of  their  nation. 

The  name  of  Bald  Eagle  has  been  applied  to  this  bird  on  ac- 
count of  the  snowy  white  color  of  the  head  and  neck. 

Its  nest  is  generally  made  upon  some  lofty  tree,  and  in  the 
course  of  years  becomes  of  very  great  size,  as  the  bird  is  in  the 
habit  of  laying  her  eggs  year  after  year  in  the  same  nest,  and  making 
additions  of  fresh  building  materials  at  every  fresh  breeding  season. 
She  commences  this  task  at  a very  early  period  of  the  year,  depos- 


2 


EA  GLE—B  UZZARD. 


iting  her  eggs  in  January,  and  hatching  her  young  by  the  middle  of 
February.  It  is  always  a very  affectionate  bird,  tends  its  young  as 
long  as  they  are  helpless  and  unfledged,  and  will  not  forsake  them 
even  if  the  tree  on  which  they  rest  be  enveloped  in  flames. 

The  bald  eagle  often  takes  advantage  of  the  fishing  talents  of 
the  osprey  by  robbing  the  lesser  bird  of  its  prey.  The  eagle  is,  in 
truth,  no  very  great  fisher,  but  is  very  fond  of  fish,  and  finds  that 
the  easiest  mode  of  obtaining  the  desired  dainty  is  to  rob  those  who 
are  better  qualified  than  himself  for  the  sport.  The  bald  eagle  is 
found  throughout  the  whole  of  North  America,  and  may  be  seen 
hunting  the  greater  part  of  the  sea-coasts,  as  well  as  the  mouths  of 
the  large  rivers. 

The  Golden  Eagle  is  found  in  most  parts  of  Europe,  and  is  not 
uncommon  in  Great  Britain.  The  flight  of  this  magnificent  bird  is 
peculiarly  beautiful  and  imposing,  but  its  gait  when  on  land  is  rather 
awkward,  on  account  of  its  long  talons. 

Its  food  is  usually  sea-birds  and  the  smaller  quadrupeds,  such 
as  hares,  rabbits,  etc.  ; but  it  does  not  hesitate  to  carry  off  young 
lambs,  or  sometimes  to  destroy  a sickly  sheep. 

It  generally  hunts  in  pairs,  one  eagle  watching  from  some 
height  while  the  other  courses  along  the  ground,  and  drives  the 
game  from  the  bushes.  The  male  and  female  remain  together  all 
the  year,  and  very  probably  for  life.  It  lays  two  eggs  of  a yellowish 
►white  color  with  pale  brownish  spots,  on  a nest  composed  of  a great 
mass  of  sticks,  rushes,  and  grass,  and  the  young  are  fledged  about 
the  end  of  July.  The  eye  of  this  bird,  and  of  most  of  the  birds 
of  prey,  is  provided  with  an  arrangement  for  enabling  it  to  see  an 
object  near  or  at  a great  distance.  It  is  shaded  from  the  sun  by  the 
projecting  eyebrow. 

The  Buzzard. — The  family  of  the  Buzzards  are  distinguished 
by  their  short  beaks,  large  rounded  wings,  and  squared  tails.  They 
all  live  on  small  animals,  reptiles  and  various  insects. 


KITE— FALCON. 


1 14 


The  Common  Buzzard  occurs  throughout  most  of  Europe  and 
part  of  Asia  and  America.  When  searching  for  food,  it  rests  upon 
some  high  branch,  keeping  a keen  watch  on  the  ground,  and  wait- 
ing patiently  until  some  small  animal,  such  as  a rat  or  young  rabbit, 
makes  its  appearance,  when  it  instantly  sweeps  down  from  its  eleva- 
tion, seizes  its  prey  without  settling  on  the  ground,  and  returns,  if 
not  disturbed,  to  the  same  spot,  very  much  in  the  same  manner  that 
the  fly-catcher  may  be  observed  to  act. 

It  generally  builds  in  high  trees,  but  has  been  known  to  make 
its  nest  among  rocks.  Its  eggs  are  usually  three  in  number,  of  a 
whitish  color,  spotted  with  pale  brown,  and  almost  devoid  of  the 
peculiar  red  tinge  that  generally  characterizes  the  eggs  of  the 
diurnal  birds  of  prey. 

The  length  of  this  bird  is  from  twenty  to  twenty-two  inches  ; 
the  fourth  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

The  Kite,  Gledge,  or  Gled,  is  not  uncommon  in  America 
and  is  spread  over  Europe,  Asia,  and  Northern  Africa.  It  is 
especially  hated  by  the  farmer  for  its  depredations  on  his  poultry, 
and  its  appearance  is  the  signal  for  a general  outcry  among  the  ter- 
rified poultry,  who  perceive  it  long  before  the  keenest-eyed  man 
can  distinguish  it  from  a casual  spot  in  the  distant  sky.  The 
sportsman  also  detests  it  for  the  havoc  which  it  makes  among  the 
game. 

It  builds  in  tall  trees,  and  lays  three  eggs,  white,  spotted  with 
reddish  brown  at  the  larger  end.  Its  length  is  rather  more  than 
two  feet ; the  fourth  primary  feather  is  the  longest,  the  first  and 
seventh  nearly  equal. 

Falcons. — In  the  genus  Falco,  the  second  primary  feather  is 
the  longest,  the  first  and  third  being  of  equal  length.  The  Pere- 
grine Falcon,  an  inhabitant  of  most  parts  of  Europe,  Asia,  and 
South  America,  was  in  the  palmy  days  of  hawking  one  of  the 


KESTREL— SPARROW-HA  WK. 


IJ5 

favorite  falcons  chosen  for  that  sport.  Its  strength  and  swiftness  are 
very  great,  enabling  it  to  strike  down  its  prey  with  great  ease  ; in- 
deed, it  has  been  known  to  disable  five  partridges  in  succession. 
From  its  successful  pursuit  of  ducks  the  Americans  call  it  the  Duck 
Hawk. 

Instead  of  merely  dashing  at  its  prey,  and  grasping  it  with  its 
claws,  the  peregrine  falcon  strikes  its  victim  with  its  breast,  and 
actually  stuns  it  with  the  violence  of  the  blow  before  seizing  it  with 
its  claws. 

It  changes  the  color  of  its  plumage  several  times  before  it 
arrives  at  full  maturity,  and  in  the  days  of  falconry  was  known  by 
different  names,  such  as  “haggard”  when  wild,  “eyeass,”  “red 
falcon”  when  young,  “tiercel”  or  “tassel-gentle”  when  a full- 
grown  male.  It  builds  on  ledges  of  rocks,  laying  four  eggs  of  a 
reddish  brown  color.  Its  length  is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches. 

The  Kestrel  frequently  falls  a victim  to  the  mistaken  zeal  of 
the  farmer,  who  takes  every  opportunity  of  destroying  it,  as  he  con- 
founds it  with  the  sparrow-hawk.  The  natural  food  of  the  kestrel 
is  field-mice,  so  that  the  farmer  should  protect  instead  of  remorse- 
lessly murdering  his  benefactor.  These  birds  are  not  uncommon. 
Their  nest  is  usually  built  in  the  deserted  mansion  of  a crow  or 
magpie.  The  eggs  are  four  in  number,  of  a dark  reddish  brown. 
The  length  is  from  thirteen  to  fifteen  inches. 

The  Sparrow-hawk  is  an  inhabitant  of  many  portions  of  the 
world  and  displays  great  pertinacity  in  pursuit  of  its  prey,  which  it 
will  chase  for  a long  while,  skimming  along  a few  feet  above  the 
ground.  One  of  these  hawks  was  known  to  dash  through  a window 
in  pursuit  of  a small  bird.  When  taken  young  it  is  easily  tamed,  and 
will  then  associate  with  the  most  incongruous  companions.  A gen- 
tleman had  a young  sparrow-hawk  which  used  to  live  in  his  dovecot 
among  his  pigeons,  would  accompany  them  in  their  flights,  and  was 
uneasy  if  separated  from  his  strange  friends. 


SECRETAR  Y BIRD— OWL. 


1 16 

The  length  of  this  bird  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches.  The 
fourth  and  fifth  primary  feathers  are  the  longest. 

It  builds  upon  lofty  trees,  laying  five  eggs,  of  a whitish  color 
blotched  with  variable  reddish  brown  markings. 

The  Secretary  Bird  derives  its  name  from  the  tufts  of  feathers 
at  the  back  of  its  head,  which  bear  a fanciful  resemblance  to  pens 
stuck  behind  the  ear.  This  extraordinary  bird,  whose  true  position 
in  ornithology  has  been  such  a stumbling-block  to  naturalists,  in- 
habits South  Africa.  It  feeds  on  snakes  and  other  reptiles,  of  which 
it  consumes  an  amazing  number,  and  is  on  that  account  protected. 
When  battling  with  a snake,  it  covers  itself  with  one  wing  as 
with  a shield,  and  with  the  other  strikes  at  the  reptile  until  it 
falls  senseless,  when  a powerful  blow  from  the  beak  splits  the 
snake’s  head  asunder,  and  the  vanquished  enemy  is  speedily  swal- 
lowed. In  the  crop  of  a secretary  bird  that  was  dissected  by  Le 
Vaillant  were  found  eleven  large  lizards,  three  serpents,  each  a yard 
in  length,  eleven  small  tortoises,  and  a great  quantity  of  locusts  and 
* other  insects.  Besides  these,  the  bird  had  just  overcome  another 
serpent,  which  would  in  all  probability  have  been  transferred  to  the 
same  receptacle  had  it  not  been  killed.  The  secretary  is  easily 
tamed,  and  is  exceedingly  useful.  It  builds  on  high  trees,  laying 
three  eggs,  almost  white.  Its  length  is  about  three  feet. 

Owls. — A large  round  head,  with  enormous  eyes  looking  for- 
ward, is  a distinguishing  mark  of  the  owl  family.  Many  species 
possess  two  feathery  tufts  placed  on  the  head,  greatly  resembling 
horns.  The  owls  are  nocturnal  birds,  pursuing  their  prey  by  night, 
and  sleeping  during  the  day.  Their  eyes  are  enormously  large,  and 
capable  of  taking  in  every  ray  of  light.  The  power  of  vision  is  also 
increased  by  the  method  in  which  the  eye  is  fixed  in  a kind  of  bony 
socket,  just  like  a watchmaker’s  glass.  The  power  of  hearing  is 
also  very  delicate,  and  greatly  assists  them.  In  order  to  protect 


OWL. 


THE  EARED  OWE. 

The  Barn  Owl  affords  another  instance  of  mistaken  persecu- 
tion. This  beautiful  and  useful  bird,  whose  carcass  we  so  often  see 
nailed  to  the  barn,  actually  feeds  upon  and  destroys  the  rats  and 
mice  which  bear  it  company  in  its  undeserved  punishment.  Few 
people  know  what  a little  bird  this  owl  really  is.  The  thick  loose 


ii7 

them  from  th^  cold,  they  are  furnished  with  a dense  covering  of 
downy  feathers,  which  also  prevents  the  movements  of  the  wing 
from  being  heard  by  the  wary  mouse ; and  so  noiseless  is  their 
flight  that  they  seem  to  be  borne  along  by  the  wind  like  a tuft  of 
thistle-down. 


1 1 8 


OWL. 


plumage  is  so  deceptive,  that  no  one  unacquainted  with  the  struc- 
ture of  the  bird  would  imagine  that  it  is  hardly  so  large  as  a pigeon. 
The  head,  too,  when  deprived  of  its  feathery  covering,  completely 
loses  its  previous  aspect,  being  long  and  narrow,  like  that  of  a 
hawk. 

The  domestic  habits  of  the  bird  are  very  curious.  When 
irritated  or  alarmed,  it  has  a habit  of  snapping  its  beak  loudly,  and 
making  a hissing  sound,  something  like  that  of  a cat  when  pro- 
voked. Indeed  there  is  something  very  cat-like  in  the  whole 
aspect  of  the  owl.  Its  round,  soft-looking  face,  in  which  are  set 
two  great  eyes  that  shine  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  with  an  almost 
phosphoric  gleam,  and  are  capable  of  taking  in  every  feeble  ray  of 
light,  its  noiseless  movements  in  pursuit  of  its  prey,  all  strongly 
remind  the  observer  of  the  feline  character. 

If  a mouse  is  given  to  an  owl,  the  bird  seizes  it  across  the 
back,  and  gives  it  one  or  two  smart  bites,  much  as  a terrier  handles 
a rat.  The  mouse  is  then  jerked  upward  and  caught  again  head 
downward.  A second  jerk  sends  the  mouse  half  down  the  owl’s 
throat,  while  its  tail  remains  sticking  out  of  the  side  of  its  bill, 
where  it  is  rolled  about  as  if  the  owl  were  smoking.  After  some 
time  has  been  spent  in  this  amusement,  another  jerk  causes  the 
mouse  to  disappear  altogether,  and  the  owl  looks  very  happy  and 
contented.  But  if  a small  bird  is  presented  to  it,  the  owl  tears  it 
up  and  devours  it  piecemeal. 

The  Virginian  Eared  Owl  is  found  spread  over  the  greater 
portion  of  North  America,  and  in  former  days  did  great  damage 
among  the  poultry  of  the  agriculturists,  being  a bold  as  well  as  a 
voracious  bird.  Now,  however,  the  ever-ready  rifle  of  the  farmer 
has  thinned  its  numbers  greatly,  and  has  inspired  the  survivors  with 
such  awe  that  they  mostly  keep  clear  of  cultivated  lands,  and  con- 
fine themselves  to  seeking  after  their  legitimate  prey. 


SWALLOW. 


u9 

The  Virginia  Horned  Owl  takes  up  its  residence  in  the  deep 
swampy  forests,  where  it  remains  hidden  during  the  day,  and  comes 
out  at  night  and  morning,  heralding  its  approach  with  its  loud, 
unearthly  cries,  as  if  an  unquiet  wandering  spirit. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  extremely  large,  and  consists  of  a large 
bundle  of  sticks,  grass,  leaves,  and  feathers,  placed  in  the  fork  of 
some  large  bough,  and  containing  three  or  four  white  eggs. 

The  Night-Jar,  or  Goat  sucker,  sometimes  called  the  Fern  Owl, 
is  spread  over  Europe,  and  is  quite  common  in  England.  It  may 
be  seen  at  the  approach  of  evening,  silently  wheeling  around  the 
trees,  capturing  the  nocturnal  moths  and  beetles ; then  occasionally 
settling  and  uttering  its  jarring  cry.  When  flying,  the  bird  some- 
times makes  its  wings  meet  over  its  back,  and  brings  them  together 
with  a smart  snap.  It  arrives  in  this  country  at  the  beginning  of 
May,  and  leaves  in  December.  It  makes  no  nest,  but  lays  two 
mottled  eggs  on  the  bare  ground.  Its  length  is  ten  inches.  The 
Whip-poor-Will  and  the  Chuck-Will’s-Widow  both  belong  to  this 
family. 

Swallows  are  remarkable  for  their  great  power  of  wing,  their 
wide  mouths,  and  short  legs.  The  whole  of  their  plumage  is  con- 
structed with  a view  to  rapid  and  active  motions.  The  feathers  of 
their  bodies  are  firm  and  close,  so  as  not  to  impede  their  passage 
through  the  air;  their  wing  feathers  are  long,  stiff,  and  pointed, 
and  their  tails  are  long  and  forked  ; all  which  properties  we  know 
to  belong  to  great  speed. 

The  Common  Swift  is  the  largest  and  swiftest  of  this  family. 
It  seems  to  spend  the  whole  day  on  the  wing,  wheeling  with  won- 
derful velocity,  and  occasionally  soaring  until  it  is  hardly  per- 
ceptible, but  screaming  so  shrilly,  that  the  sound  is  plainly  heard. 
The  number  of  insects  which  it  destroys  is  almost  incredible  ; they 
are  retained  in  a kind  of  pouch  under  the  tongue,  and  when  taken 


120 


CHIMNEY  MARTIN— SAND  MARTIN 


out,  can  hardly  be  pressed  into  a teaspoon.  These  are  intended  for 
the  young,  and  the  supply  is  constantly  renewed.  It  lays  from  two 
to  four*  long  white  eggs,  on  a nest  composed  of  grass,  straws, 
feathers,  silk,  etc.  The  color  of  this  bird  is  a dusky  black.  The 
length  is  eight  inches,  the  expanse  of  wing  eighteen  inches,  and  its 
weight  barely  one  ounce. 

The  foot  of  the  swift  is  of  a singular  form,  unlike  that  of  any 
other  bird.  All  the  toes  are  directed  forward,  there  being  no 
hinder  toe  at  all.  Some  naturalists  say  that  the  object  of  this  forma- 
tion is  that  the  bird  may  be  enabled  to  climb  up  the  eaves  under 
which  its  nest  is  made. 

The  Chimney  Martin  or  Swallow  is  the  most  common  of  its 
family,  and  too  well  known  to  need  much  description.  When 
skimming  over  ponds  and  rivers  in  search  of  insects  the  snap  with 
which  it  closes  its  bill  may  be  easily  heard.  In  the  course  of  its 
flight  over  the  surface,  it  often  dashes  up  the  water  with  its  wings, 
which  action  gives  rise  to  the  opinion  that  swallows  passed  the 
winter  under  water,  and  rose  in  the  spring.  It  is  so  eager  after  its 
prey,  that  it  may  be  easily  caught  with  a rod  and  line  baited  with 
a fly. 

It  breeds  twice  in  the  year,  building  a nest  of  mud  against  a 
wall  or  other  convenient  situation,  and  laying  five  very  pale  pink 
eggs,  spotted  with  reddish  brown.  The  bird  appears  regularly  to 
return,  year  by  year,  to  its  old  nest.  The  whole  of  its  upper  sur- 
face is  a deep  purplish  black,  its  forehead  and  throat  chestnut. 
Humboldt,  in  his  “Travels,”  relates  that  he  saw  a swallow  perch 
on  the  rigging  of  the  vessel  when  it  was  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  from  the  land. 

The  Sand  Martin  is  the  smallest  of  our  American  swallows, 
but  makes  its  appearance  before  any  of  its  brethren.  It  principally 
builds  in  cliffs  of  sandstone,  boring  holes  three  feet  or  more  in  depth, 


HOUSE  MARTIN— ESCULENT  SWALLOW. 


21 


and  often  winding  in  their  course,  most  probably  to  avoid  a casual 
stone  or  spot  too  hard  for  its  bill,  which,  although  small  and 
unfitted  for  the  task,  makes  its  way  through  the  sandstone  with 
extraordinary  rapidity.  Where  a convenient  sand-cliff  exists,  hun- 
dreds of  these  pretty  little  birds  may  be  seen  working  away  at  their 
habitations,  or  dashing  about  in  the  air,  looking  at  a distance  like 
white  butterflies,  and  occasionally  returning  to  the  rock,  which 
is  often  completely  honeycombed  by  their  labors. 


the  swallow. 


The  House  Martin  reaches  the  States  shortly  after  the  swallow, 
and  almost  invariably  takes  possession  of  its  old  nest,  which  it 
repairs  about  May.  It  lays  five  eggs  closely  resembling  the  sand 
martin.  About  September,  immense  numbers  may  be  seen  perched 
upon  houses  and  trees  preparatory  to  their  departure. 

The  Esculent  Swallow,  whose  nests  are  considered  such  a 
delicacy  among  the  Chinese,  builds  its  singular  habitation  in  the 


122 


TROG  ON— KINGFISHER. 


sides  of  almost  inaccessible  cliffs,  so  that  the  business  of  procuring 
them  is  a most  dangerous  task. 

The  nests  are  harried  about  three  times  in  every  year,  and  it  is 
said  that  the  natives  who  are  employed  in  procuring  them  are  care- 
ful to  destroy  the  old  and  deep-colored  nests,  in  order  to  force  the 
birds  to  build  new  habitations,  which  command  a high  price  in  the 
market.  The  nests  are  chiefly  found  in  Java. 

The  Trogon. — The  magnificent  family  of  the  trogons  stands 
pre-eminent  in  beauty  and  brilliancy  of  plumage,  the  usual  tint 
being  a metallic  golden  green,  boldly  contrasted  with  scarlet,  black, 
and  brown.  The  toes  are  placed  two  behind  and  two  before,  like 
those  of  the  woodpeckers. 

The  Resplendent  Trogon  is  the  most  gorgeous  of  all  this  gor- 
geous family.  Its  long  and  gracefully  curved  tail,  nearly  three  feet 
long,  the  whole  of  the  upper  surface,  and  the  throat,  are  a glowing 
green ; the  breast  and  underparts  are  bright  crimson ; the  middle 
feathers  of  the  tail  black,  and  the  outer  feathers  white.  This  splen- 
did bird  is  an  inhabitant  of  Mexico,  and  was  used  by  the  Mexican 
nobles  as  an  ornament  to  their  head-dress. 

From  the  feathers  of  these  and  other  trogons  the  mosaic  pictures 
of  the  Mexicans  were  made.  This  is  a very  difficult  bird  to  stuff, 
on  account  of  the  delicate  texture  of  the  skin,  which  is  so  fragile 
that  it  tears  about  as  easily  as  wet  blotting-paper. 

The  Kingfisher  is  found  in  most  parts  of  England  and 
America.  Scarcely  anything  more  beautiful  can  be  conceived  than 
the  metallic  glitter  of  its  plumage  as  it  shoots  along  the  banks  of 
the  river,  or  darts  into  the  water  after  its  struggling  prey.  Its  usual 
method  of  fishing  is  by  placing  itself  on  a stump  or  stone  over- 
hanging the  water,  from  which  spot  it  watches  for  the  unsuspecting 
fish  beneath.  After  a fish  is  caught,  the  bird  kills  it  by  beating  it 
several  times  against  its  resting-place,  and  then  swallowing  it,  head 
foremost. 


HOOPOE. 


123 


It  lays  its  eggs  in  holes  in  the  banks  of  rivers  or  ponds,  and 
appears  to  build  no  nest.  A pair  of  kingfishers,  for  two  successive 
years,  inhabited  a bank  of  a very  small  stream,  little  more  than  a 
drain,  at  Little  Hinton,  Wiltshire,  where  no  fish  lived,  nor  were 
there  any  to  be  found  within  a considerable  distance.  The  eggs 
are  from  four  to  seven  in  number,  of  a pearly  whiteness,  and  re- 
markably globular  in  shape. 


THE  KINGFISHER. 


The  Hoopoe,  one  of  the  most  elegant  birds  that  visit  this 
country,  is  unfortunately  a very  rare  guest,  and  seldom,  if  ever, 
breeds  here.  Its  beautiful  crest  can  be  raised  or  depressed  at  pleas- 
ure, but  is  seldom  displayed  unless  the  bird  is  excited  from  some 
cause.  Its  food  consists  of  insects,  which  it  first  batters  and  moulds 
into  an  oblong  mass,  and  then  swallows,  with  a peculiar  jerk  of  the 
head. 


24 


HUMMING-BIRD. 


In  France,  hoopoes  are  very  common,  and  may  be  seen  exam- 
ining old  and  rotten  stumps  for  the  insects  that  invariably  congre- 
gate in  such  places.  There  they  may  be  seen  in  flocks,  but  they 
never  seem  to  come  over  to  England  in  greater  numbers  than  one 
pair  at  a time.  M.  Bechstein  gives  a curious  account  of  the  atti- 
tude assumed  by  the  hoopoe  on  perceiving  a large  bird  in  the  air. 

As  soon  as  they  perceived  a raven,  or  even  a pigeon,  they  were 
on  their  bellies  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  their  wings  stretched  out 
by  the  side  of  the  head,  so  that  the  large  quill  feathers  touched  the 
head,  leaning  on  the  back  with  the  bill  pointing  upward.  In  this 
•curious  posture  they  might  be  taken  for  an  old  rag  ! ” The  hoopoe 
lays  from  four  to  seven  gray  eggs  in  the  hollow  of  a tree.  Its 
length  is  one  foot. 

The  Humming-bird. — These  little  living  gems  are  exclusively 
found  in  America,  especially  about  the  tropical  parts,  becoming 
gradually  scarcer  as  we  recede  from  the  tropics  in  either  direction. 
Only  two  species  are  known  to  exist  in  the  northern  parts,  but  in 
the  central  portions  and  in  the  islands  about  Florida  they  absolutely 
swarm.  They  glance  about  in  the  sunshine,  looking  like  streaks  of 
brilliant  light ; and  so  rapid  is  the  vibration  of  their  fine  and  elastic 
wings  that,  when  hovering  over  a flower,  a humming  or  buzzing 
sound  is  produced,  from  which  peculiarity  the  name  of  humming- 
bird has  been  given  them  in  almost, every  language. 

Waterton’s  description  of  the  appearance  of  the  humming-bird 
in  the  sun  is  very  characteristic  : “ Though  least  in  size,  the  glittering 
mantle  of  the  humming-bird  entitles  it  to  the  first  place  in  the  list  of 
the  birds  of  the  New  World.  It  may  truly  be  called  the  Bird  of  Para- 
dise ; and  had  it  existed  in  the  Old  World,  it  would  have  claimed  the 
title  instead  of  the  bird  which  now  has  the  honor  to  bear  it.  See  it 
darting  through  the  air  almost  as  quick  as  thought ! Now  it  is 
within  a yard  of  your  face — in  an  instant  gone — now  it  flutters  from 


126 


CREEPER — WREN. 


flower  to  flower  to  sip  the  silver  dew — it  is  now  a ruby — now  a 
topaz — now  an  emerald — now  all  burnished  gold.  ’ ’ 

The  tongue  of  the  humming-bird  is  formed  much  like,  that  of 
the  woodpecker,  being  curled  round  the  head,  under  the  skin,  and 
thus  capable  of  being  darted  to  a considerable  distance. 

Like  many  other  little  creatures,  the  humming-bird  is  remark- 
able for  its  assurance  and  impudence.  It  is  easily  tamed  for  that 
very  reason,  and  has  been  known  to  domesticate  itself  in  an  hour 
from  the  time  of  its  capture,  and  even  when  released,  it  has  re- 
turned again  to  partake  of  the  dainties  which  it  had  tasted  during 
its  captivity.  There  are  an  immense  number  of  species  of  these 
exquisite  birds  varying  from  the  size  of  a swift  to  that  of  a humble 
bee.  The  nests  are  very  neat  and  beautiful,  and  as  may  be  imag- 
ined from  the  diminutive  size  of  the  little  architect  exceedingly 
small.  They  are  composed  of  down,  cotton,  etc.,  and  are  some- 
times covered  on  the  outside  with  mosses  and  lichens. 

The  Creepers  are  remarkable  for  their  long,  slender  bills  and 
claws  adapted  for  climbing  trees  and  capturing  insects.  The  com- 
mon creeper  may  often  be  seen  in  this  country,  running  spirally  up 
the  trunks  of  trees,  and  probing  the  bark  with  its  bill ; and  so 
firmly  do  the  claws  hold,  that,  when  shot,  it  does  not  always  fall, 
but  remains  clinging  to  the  tree.  The  nest  of  this  elegant  little 
bird  is  made  in  a decayed  tree.  The  eggs  are  from  seven  to  nine 
in  number,  gray,  with  dusky  spots. 

The  Wren  shares  with  the  robin  some  immunity  from  juvenile 
sportsmen.  Although  it  may  be  fearlessly  hopping  about  in  the 
hedge,  jerking  its  funny  little  tail,  and  playing  its  antics  just  at  the 
muzzle  of  the  gun,  few  boys  will  fire  at  it — a privilege  for  which  it 
is  difficult  to  give  a reason,  except,  perhaps,  the  very  incompre- 
hensible assertion  that  “the  robin  and  the  wren  have  divine  pro- 
tection,” although  why  these  two  birds,  both  proverbially  quarrel- 


NIGHTINGALE—  WARBLER. 


2 7 


some  and  pugnacious,  should  be  selected,  to  the  exclusion  of  others, 
is  difficult  to  say.  Perhaps  the  robin  enjoys  his  immunity  from  the 
4i  Babes  in  the  Wood,”  and  the  wren  makes  a convenient  rhyme. 

The  nest  of  the  wren  is  built  in  any  convenient  cranny  ; an 
ivy-covered  tree,  the  thatch  of  a barn,  or  a warm  scarecrow,  are  all 
used  by  this  fearless  little  bird.  The  nest  is  usually  of  an  oven-like 
shape,  always  covered  on  the  outside  with  some  material  resembling 
the  color  of  the  objects  round  it,  such  as  green  moss  if  built  among 
ivy,  or  brown  lichen  if  built  on  a rock  or  in  the  fork  of  a withered 
branch.  The  eggs  are  six  or  eight  in  number — white,  speckled 
with  reddish  brown. 

The  Nightingale. — The  marvellous  notes  of  the  Nightingale 
sound  comparatively  weak  unless  backed  by  the  accompaniments  of 
night  and  tranquillity  ; for  the  inimitable  song  of  this  Mendelssohn 
among  birds  loses  great  part  of  its  beauty  when  uttered  by  day, 
deadened  and  confused  with  other  sounds.  There  are  some  people 
who  cannot  appreciate  the  song  of  this  bird.  There  is  a story  that 
a man  who  was  engaged  as  gardener  in  a gentleman’s  family  was 
permitted  to  live  within  the  grounds.  In  a short  time  he  asked  to 
be  allowed  to  change  his  house,  and  on  being  asked  his  reason  for 
giving  up  so  good  a situation,  answered  that  he  could  get  no  sleep 
at  night,  because  those  nasty  nightingales  kept  up  such  a continual 
guggling. 

In  some  counties  of  England  it  is  never  found,  but  in  many  its 
nightly  strains  are  frequently  heard.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  not  only  in  this  bird,  but  in  other  singing-birds,  the  male  is  the 
vocalist. 

The  Warblers  are  spread  over  almost  the  entire  globe,  and 
many  gladden  this  country  with  their  pleasant  songs.  The  Black- 
cap, almost  a rival  to  the  nightingale,  is  at  once  recognized  by  the 
black  color  of  the  crown  of  the  head.  Only  the  males,  however, 


128 


GOLDEN  CRESTED  REGULUS— REDBREAST. 


are  thus  decorated,  the  crown  of  the  head  of  the  female  being  dark 
brown.  Its  sweet  notes  are  poured  forth  from  the  concealment  of 
some  thicket  or  tuft  of  trees,  where  it  trusts  to  the  density  of  the 
foliage  to  elude  discovery.  Like  the  mocking-bird  of  America,  it 
can  imitate  the  songs  of  other  birds  with  such  perfect  inflection 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  detect  the  imposture.  Among  bushes 
and  brambles  it  builds  its  nest,  which  is  made  of  dried  grass,  moss, 
and  hairs.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number — reddish  brown,  marked 
with  dark  spots.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  six  inches ; the 
third  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

The  Golden-crested  Regulus  is  one  of  the  smallest  of  birds. 
Fir  plantations  are  its  favorite  resort,  and  there  it  may  be  seen  hop- 
ping about  the  branches,  or  running  round  them,  head  downward, 
in  search  of  the  insects  hidden  beneath  the  bark.  Its  name  is  de- 
rived from  the  orange-colored  tuft  of  feathers  on  the  crown  of  its 
head,  for  which  reason  it  is  often  called  the  Kinglet.  Its  note  is 
weak,  but  very  pleasing,  and  much  resembles  that  of  the  common 
wren.  The  female  is  very  bold  while  sitting,  and  will  permit  close 
observation  without  quitting  the  nest.  The  nest  itself  is  an  object 
of  great  beauty.  It  is  usually  placed  on  the  under  side  of  a fir 
branch,  sheltered  by  the  overhanging  foliage,  and  sometimes  further 
protected  by  a large  bunch  of  cones  forming  a kind  of  roof  over  it. 
The  eggs  are  from  six  to  ten  in  number,  very  small,  and  of  a red- 
dish white  color.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  three  inches  and  a 
half.  The  fourth  or  fifth  primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

The  Redbreast  or  Robin  Redbreast,  as  it  is  affectionately 
termed,  has,  by  its  fearless  conduct,  earned  itself  golden  opinions 
from  all  kinds  of  men.  Every  nation  seems  to  protect  it.  Even 
the  American  redbreast  lives  unharmed  possibly  on  account  of  its 
connection  with  its  English  relation,  whose  oft-told  charity  toward 
the  Babes  in  the  Wood  has  turned  aside  from  its  posterity  even  the 
unsparing  hand  of  the  sporting  schoolboy. 


TITS—  TITMO  USE. 


129 


In  the  winter,  when  the  berries  are  gone,  insects  dead,  and  the 
worms  hidden  under  the  hard  frozen  soil,  then  the  robin  flies  for 
refuge  to  the  habitations  of  man  for  shelter  and  food.  It  is  very- 
amusing  to  see  the  half-trusting,  half-fearful  look  with  which  it  hops 
to  the  window-sill  for  the  first  time.  After  a while,  it  becomes 
bold,  and  taps  at  the  window,  if  the  expected  crumbs  are  not  thrown 
out.  Before  long,  it  ventures  to  enter  the  room,  hops  about  on  the 
table,  and  quite  seems  to  consider  as  a right  what  was  first  merely  a 
favor.  When  once  established,  it  is  very  jealous,  and  will  not  suffer 
a friend  to  be  a partaker  of  the  same  comforts,  but  attacks  him  with 
the  greatest  fury ; so  the  unfortunate  second  comer  has  to  wait 
shivering  outside  the  window,  with  his  feathers  puffed  up,  and  his 
little  bright  eye  glancing  from  the  depths  of  his  plumage. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  built  in  a crevice  of  an  old  ivied  wall, 
in  a bank,  sheltered  by  the  roots  of  trees,  or  in  a mass  of  ivy  cling- 
ing to  an  old  tree.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a pale  gray 
color,  profusely  marked  with  reddish  spots. 

The  Tits. — The  birds  of  this  family  are  remarkable  for  their 
active  habits  among  the  branches  of  trees.  There  are  few  who  have 
not  seen  these  beautiful  and  interesting  little  birds  twisting  round 
the  branches,  perfectly  unconcerned  at  the  presence  of  the  specta- 
tor, sometimes  hanging  head  downward,  sometimes  chasing  an 
unlucky  beetle  along  the  bark,  and  invariably  catching  it,  in  spite 
of  its  swift  limbs  and  active  wings ; sometimes  twisting  off  a bud, 
and  pulling  it  to  pieces  with  marvellous  rapidity,  in  order  to  secure 
the  lurking  caterpillar  within ; sometimes  pecking  away  at  a piece 
of  loose  bark,  and  extracting  an  unwilling  spider  by  one  of  its  legs 
left  incautiously  projecting  from  its  lurking-place. 

The  little  Blue  Titmouse  is  so  well  known  as  hardly  to  re- 
quire any  description.  It  is  most  amusingly  courageous,  and  from 
the  strenuous  resistance  it  offers  to  its  capturer,  has  acquired  from 
9 


PIED  WAGTAIL. 


1130 

\ ^ 

rustic  boys  the  name  of  “Billy-biter.”  The  angry  hiss  of  the 
female  has  frequently  caused  an  intruding  hand  to  be  rapidly  with- 
drawn, for  the  sound  is  so  exceedingly  like  the  hiss  of  an  irritated 
snake,  and  the  little  beak  is  so  sharp,  that  few  have  the  courage  to 
proceed  with  their  investigations.  A pair  of  these  birds  built  their 
nest  in  the  coping  of  the  Great  Western  Railway,  at  the  Shriven- 
ham  station,  not  two  feet  from  the  fiery  and  noisy  engines,  which 
were  constantly  passing.  The  men  respected  the  courage  of  the 
little  birds,  and  this  whole  brood  was  hatched,  and  suffered  to  fly  at 
liberty. 

The  utter  contempt  which  this  bird  entertains  for  fire-arms 
often  leads  to  its  destruction,  for  when  the  disappointed  schoolboy 
has  been  wasting  his  powder  and  shot  in  attempting  to  hit  larks  and 
such  large  game,  he  consoles  himself  by  shooting  the  unfortunate 
titmouse,  who  will  allow  him  to  come  so  close  that  few  vestiges  of 
it  remain  except  a tuft  of  blue  feathers.  The  eggs  of  the  blue  tit- 
mouse are  from  six  to  eight  in  number — white,  marked  with  reddish 
brown  spots.  Its  length  is  about  four  inches  and  a half. 

The  Pied  Wagtail. — The  wagtails,  so  named,  from  the  almost 
incessant  vibration  of  their  tails,  are  exclusively  confined  to  the  Old 
World.  The  pied  wagtail  is  the  most  common  of  its  race.  We 
often  see  it  pass  rapidly,  with  peculiar  dipping  flight ; it  settles  on 
the  ground  and  wags  its  tail ; it  runs  a few  paces,  and  wags  its  tail 
again ; pecks  at  an  insect,  and  its  tail  again  vibrates.  It  does  not 
hop,  like  the  warblers,  finches,  etc.,  but  runs  with  great  rapidity, 
and  altogether  looks  very  like  a diminutive  magpie. 

Sand-banks  by  the  sides  of  rivers  are  the  usual  resort  of  these 
birds,  where  they  may  almost  always  be  seen,  running  about  by  the 
water’s  edge,  sometimes  snatching  at  an  incautious  May-fly,  some- 
times wading  into  the  water  after  a caddis- worm  or  a stray  grub,  or 
pecking  at  an  unfortunate  little  minnow,  which  has  come  too  near 


THE  BRITISH  WAGTAILS, 


132 


WATER  OUZEL— SONG-THRUSH. 


the  surface — and  then  it  flies  off  to  another  spot  to  repeat  the  same 
manoeuvres.  It  also  greatly  frequents  pastures,  and  may  be  seen 
running  about  among  the  cows  in  the  most  nonchalant  manner 
imaginable,  catching  the  flies  that  torment  those  animals  in  the 
summer,  or  flying  off  to  its  unfinished  nest  with  a beak  full  of  hairs. 

Their  nests  are  built  near  the  water,  in  crevices  among  stones, 
or  in  the  hole  of  a wall.  Frequently  when  stones  are  piled  by  a 
wet  quarry,  several  nests  may  be  found  in  one  heap  of  stones.  The 
eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  of  a dusky  white  color,  spotted 
with  ashy  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  seven  inches  and  a 
half. 

The  Water  Ouzel,  or  Dipper  is  found  principally  in  hilly 
places  where  there  are  clear  and  rapid  streams.  There  it  may  be 
seen  to  go  through  its  far-famed  movements  under  the  water,  which 
have  given  rise  to  so  much  controversy.  It  dives  for  considerable 
distances  with  apparent  ease,  and  has  a habit  of  dipping  and  rising 
repeatedly,  from  which  practice  its  name  has  been  derived.  The 
nest  is  usually  built  by  the  water-side,  and  is  most  carefully  con- 
cealed. In  general  appearance  it  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  wren, 
being  made  of  intertwined  mosses,  with  an  entrance  at  the  side. 
It  lays  five  large  white  eggs.  The  length  of  this  bird  is  about  seven 
inches. 

The  Song-Thrush,  Throstle,  or  Mavis,  is  deservedly  con- 
sidered one  of  our  best  singing-birds.  Its  powerful  and  rich  notes 
may  be  heard  even  during  the  month  of  January,  when  most  of  the 
other  singing  birds  are  either  silent,  or  have  departed. 

Its  nest  is  built  almost  before  any  other  bird  has  commenced, 
and  may  often  be  seen  conspicuously  placed  in  a bush,  some  time 
before  the  leaves  have  begun  to  sprout.  In  order  to  defend  the 
callow  young  from  the  cold  winds  of  the  season  when  they  are 
hatched,  the  nest  is  more  substantial  than  birds  are  accustomed  to 


BLACKBIRD. 


133 


build,  being  thickly  plastered  within  with  a coating  of  mud,  effect- 
ually keeping  out  the  chilly  blasts.  Were  it  only  for  its  singing 
powers,  the  thrush  would  deserve  protection ; but  the  services  it 
renders  to  the  gardener  in  devouring  insects,  snails,  and  other 
destructive  creatures,  entitle  it  to  a double  share  of  regard. 

It  is  very  amusing  to  watch  a thrush  listening  for  the  sound  of 
the  earth-worm  working  its  way  through  the  ground,  or  the  gnaw- 
ing teeth  of  the  cockchaffer  grub.  The  grub  he  unearths  and 
devours  without  further  ceremony,  but  he  knows  that  if  he  is  not 
cautious,  the  earth-worm  will  withdraw  itself  out  of  his  reach. 
He  therefore  gives  several  hops  near  the  worm,  which,  fancying 
that  it  hears  its  enemy  the  mole  pursuing  it,  comes  to  the  surface, 
and  is  instantly  seized  in  triumph  by  the  crafty  thrush. 

It  clears  the  shells  from  snails  by  beating  them  against  a 
stone,  and  when  it  has  found  a convenient  place  for  that  purpose, 
it  invariably  returns  to  the  same  spot  with  its  prey,  so  that  heaps 
of  broken  snail-shells  may  often  be  found  where  the  thrushes  have 
been  at  work. 

The  eggs  of  the  thrush  are  five  in  number,  of  a bluish-green 
color,  spotted  with  a deep  reddish  brown.  Sometimes  the  spots 
are  altogether  absent. 

The  Blackbird  is  another  delightful  songster,  whose  jetty  hue 
and  “orange-tawny  bill  ” are  too  well  known  to  need  description. 
It  is  a very  shy  bird,  and  if  disturbed  in  a hedge,  has  a habit  of 
darting  through  it,  and  then  escaping  on  the  other  side,  uttering  a 
sharp  cry  of  alarm. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  are  not  unlike  those  of  the  thrush, 
especially  in  its  zeal  for  unearthing  the  cockchaffer  grubs,  and 
possibly  for  eating  cherries  when  they  are  ripe.  Its  nest  is  built 
usually  at  the  foot  of  a hedge,  frequently  in  the  very  centre  of  a 
holly  bush,  safe  from  most  enemies,  except  weasels  and  schoolboys. 


134 


MOCKING-BIRD. 


The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a bluish-green  color,  profusely 
spotted  with  brown. 

The  Mocking-bird  is  a native  of  most  parts  of  America. 
This  wonderful  bird  stands  pre-eminent  in  powers  of  song.  Not 
only  are  its  natural  notes  bold  and  spirited,  but  it  has  the  faculty 
of  imitating  with  deceptive  fidelity  every  sound  it  hears.  To  its 
flexible  organs,  the  harsh  setting  of  a saw,  the  song  of  a night- 
ingale, the  creaking  of  a wheel,  the  whistled  tune  of  a passer-by, 
the  full  and  mellow  notes  of  the  thrush,  the  barking  of  a dog,  the 
crowing  of  a cock,  and  the  savage  scream  of  the  bald  eagle,  are 
each  equally  easy  of  execution,  and  follow  one  another  with  such 
marvellous  rapidity  that  few  can  believe  that  the  insignificant 
brown  bird  before  them  is  the  sole  author  of  these  varied  sounds. 
The  Virginian  nightingale  and  the  canary  hear  their  exquisite 
modulations  performed  with  such  supperior  execution,  that  the 
vanquished  songsters  are  silent  for  mere  mortification,  while  the 
triumphant  mocking-bird  only  redoubles  its  efforts. 

Wilson,  whose  animated  description  of  this  bird  has  never 
been  surpassed,  says : “His  expanded  wings  and  tail  glistening 
with  white,  and  the  buoyant  gayety  of  his  action  arresting  the  eye, 
as  his  song  does  most  irresistibly  the  ear,  he  sweeps  round  with 
enthusiastic  ecstasy,  and  mounts  and  descends  as  his  song  swells  or 
dies  away.  He  often  deceives  the  sportsman,  and  sends  him  in 
search  of  birds  that  are  not  perhaps  within  miles  of  him,  but  whose 
notes  he  exactly  imitates ; even  birds  themselves  are  frequently 
imposed  upon  by  this  admirable  music,  and  are  decoyed  by  the 
fancied  calls  of  their  mates,  or  dive  with  precipitation  into  the 
depth  of  thickets  at  the  scream  of  what  they  suppose  to  be  the 
sparrow-hawk. 

While  sitting  on  its  eggs  it  is  an  exceedingly  courageous  bird, 
attacking  without  discrimination  man,  dog,  or  any  animal  who 


SP  O TTED  FL  YCA  TCHER— SHRIKE. 


35 


may  approach  too  near  to  the  nest.  But  the  black  snake  is  the 
special  object  of  its  vengeance.  The  snake,  who  has  perhaps  just 
arrived  at  the  vicinity  of  the  nest,  and  is  contemplating  a pleasant 
breakfast  on  the  young  or  eggs,  is  violently  attacked  by  the  enraged 
mocking-bird,  who,  by  repeated  blows  on  the  head,  generally 
destroys  its  enemy,  and  then,  mounting  on  a bush,  pours  forth  a 
triumphant  song  of  victory. 

The  nest  is  made  generally  in  a bush  or  apple-tree,  frequently 
close  to  houses,  as  the  bird  is  protected  by  the  inhabitants.  The 
mocking-bird  is  often  kept  tame,  in  which  case,  so  far  from  its 
imitative  powers  showing  any  decrease,  the  variety  of  domestic 
sounds  heard  about  the  house  is  often  very  perplexing. 

The  Spotted  Flycatcher,  an  inhabitant  of  America,  may  be 
considered  as  the  type  of  the  entire  family.  It  may  be  constantly 
seen  in  the  gardens  and  orchards,  going  through  the  evolutions  that 
have  given  it  the  names  of  Flycatcher,  Post- bird,  Beam-bird,  etc. 
It  takes  its  station  on  some  elevated  spot,  such  as  the  overhanging 
bough  of  a tree,  a post,  or  a rail ; and  from  thence  watches  for  a 
passing  insect,  on  seeing  which,  it  darts  from  its  post,  secures  the 
insect  in  the  air,  and  returns  to  the  spot  by  a short  circular  flight. 
It  is  not  a timid  bird,  and  will  permit  an  observer  to  stand  quite 
close  to  it,  provided  that  he  does  not  disturb  it. 

Its  note  is  a weak  chirp,  and  even  that  is  not  often  heard.  The 
nest  is  built  usually  in  holes  of  trees  or  walls,  or  sometimes  between 
a branch  of  a wall-fruit  tree  and  the  wall  itself.  The  eggs  are  five 
in  number,  spotted  with  reddish  brown  on  a gray  ground.  The 
length  of  the  bird  is  about  five  inches. 

The  Shrikes,  or  Butcher  Birds,  well  deserve  their  name,  as 
they  live  upon  insects  and  small  birds,  which  they  kill,  and  after- 
ward transfix  with  a thorn,  preparatory  to  devouring  them.  They 
take  their  prey  much  after  the  same  manner  as  the  flycatchers,  by 
darting  on  it  from  some  place  of  concealment. 


1 36 


JAY. 


The  Great  Gray  Shrike  feeds  upon  mice,  birds,  frogs,  and 
other  small  animals.  After  pouncing  upon  its  prey,  the  shrike,  by 
a few  blows  on  the  head  from  its  powerful  bill  destroys  it.  The 
unfortunate  animal  is  then  carried  to  the  nearest  hedge,  impaled, 
on  a thorn,  and  the  shrike  devours  it  at  his  leisure.  Large  insects 
are  treated  in  the  same  manner.  The  object  of  this  impalement  is 
apparently  that  the  creature  thus  suspended  should  become  tender 
or  “high,”  and  after  hanging  a lizard  or  mouse  in  this  fashion,  the 
bird  generally  goes  off  and  fetches  another,  always  preferring  to  eat 
those  which  have  remained  longest  on  the  thorn,  and  which  are,  as 
it  were,  cooked  in  the  sun. 

There  is  a strong  bodily  resemblance  between  this  shrike  and 
the  mocking-bird,  the  distinction  lying  generally  in  the  outline ; 
while  the  plumage  is  so  similar,  that  many  persons  have  actually 
confused  the  two  birds,  giving  to  one  the  habits  of  the  other.  More- 
over, the  resemblance  is  not  merely  in  outward  form ; the  gray 
shrike  can  also  imitate  the  notes  of  other  birds,  and  often  does  so. 

The  name  Execubiter,  or  Sentinel,  is  given  it  from  the  habit 
of  watching  for  birds  of  prey,  and  chattering  loudly  directly  it 
perceives  them,  thereby,  proving  that,  like  most  other  tyrants,  it 
has  a great  objection  to  suffering  any  injury  itself.  The  nest  is 
built  on  trees,  and  contains  about  six  eggs,  grayish-white,  spotted 
with  dark  ash  on  the  larger  end ; length  of  the  bird  is  from  nine  to 
ten  inches. 

The  Jay,  so  well  known  for  the  beautiful  blue  markings  on  its 
wings,  is  rather  a shy  bird,  preferring  to  reside  in  the  thickest  woods, 
and  seldom  coming  into  the  open  country.  It  is  easily  tamed  when 
young,  and  is  very  amusing  when  domesticated. 

This  bird  possesses,  like  several  others  of  the  same  family,  con- 
siderable talents  for  mimicry.  It  has  been  known  to  imitate  the 
sound  of  a saw,  the  bleat  of  a lamb,  or  even  the  neighing  of  a horse, 


THE  MAGPIE, 


MAG  PIE. 


138 

with  the  most  perfect  accuracy.  Nor  do  its  powers  cease  here,  for 
although  its  natural  voice  is  harsh  and  grating,  yet  it  can  imitate 
the  sweet  notes  of  singing  birds,  such  as  a greenfinch,  with  wonder- 
ful fidelity.  It  has  also  frequently  been  taught  to  articulate  words. 

The  name  of  Glandarius  has  been  given  to  the  jay,  because  it 
feeds  on  vegetable  productions,  such  as  acorns,  etc. , more  than  the 
true  crows.  It  is  also  partial  to  fruits,  especially  ripe  cherries, 
and  is  consequently  persecuted  by  the  gardener.  It  is  also  said  to 
devour  eggs  and  young  birds. 

Its  nest  is  built  about  twenty  feet  from  the  ground,  the  upper 
part  of  a thick  bush  being  preferred.  The  eggs  are  five  or  six  in 
number,  of  a yellowish  white,  thickly  speckled  with  brown.  The 
length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  fourteen  inches. 

The  Magpie,  who  seems  to  rival  the  parrot  in  the  proud  title 
of  the  monkey  of  the  birds  (the  raven  being  the  ornithological 
baboon),  is  a well-known  inhabitant  of  this  country.  Its  thieving 
and  hiding  propensities  have  been  frequently  told  ; but  I must  still 
venture  to  give  a few  anecdotes  of  a tame  magpie  that  resided  in 
Wiltshire.  This  bird  found  a malicious  enjoyment  in  pecking  the 
unprotected  ankles  of  little  boys  not  yet  arrived  at  manly  habili- 
ments, and  was  such  a terror  to  the  female  servants  that  they  were 
forced  to  pass  his  lurking-place  armed  with  a broom.  One  of  the 
servants  having  neglected  this  precaution,  was  actually  found  sitting 
down  on  the  stones  to  protect  her  ankles,  the  magpie  triumphantly 
pacing  round  her,  until  aid  was  brought,  and  the  bird  driven  away. 
But  to  little  boys  and  girls  the  magpie  showed  no  mercy,  springing 
out  of  its  hiding-place  and  chasing  them  completely  along  the  gar- 
den walk. 

The  nest  of  the  magpie  is  built  on  a high  tree,  and  curiously 
defended  with  thorns,  having  a small  hole  just  large  enough  to 
admit  the  owners,  so  that  the  liberal  use  of  a pocket-knife  is  fre- 


RA  VEN. 


139 


quently  requisite  in  order  to  obtain  the  eggs.  The  nest  is  covered 
with  a dome  of  thorns,  and  its  interior  is  defended  by  a coating  of 
mud,  worked  smooth.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  of  a greenish 
white,  covered  with  brown  markings.  The  length  of  the  bird  is 
about  eighteen  inches. 

The  Raven  is  very  common  in  parts  of  Europe,  and  some 
parts  of  Asia  and  America.  It  is  more  frequently  found  in  the 
Hebrides  than  in  any  other  part  of  Great  Britain.  In  those 
islands  it  lives  principally  on  carrion  of  various  kinds,  such  as  a 
dead  sheep  or  lamb,  whose  death  the  raven  is  accused  with  some 
justice  in  hastening,  and  on  fishes  or  cetaceous  animals  which  have 
been  cast  on  shore  by  the  waves. 

In  these  cases  the  raven  conducts  itself  much  in  the  manner  of 
the  vulture.  It  commences  by  taking  out  the  eye  and  tongue,  and 
then  proceeds  to  tear  open  the  abdomen,  operations  for  which  its 
sharp  and  powerful  bill  seems  quite  as  well  fitted  as  the  hooked 
beak  of  that  rapacious  bird.  It  is  a very  crafty  bitd,  and  can  with 
difficulty  be  approached ; but  by  laying  a dead  carcass  near  its 
haunts,  and  being  carefully  concealed,  it  may  be  seen  cautiously 
approaching;  first,  perching  on  an  eminence,  it  looks  carefully 
round ; then  advancing  with  a sidelong  step,  it  examines  its  ex- 
pected prey.  When  fully  satisfied,  it  pecks  out  the  eyes,  and 
proceeds  to  satiate  itself  with  food.  The  raven  seems  to  revel  in 
storms,  and  to  be  deterred  by  no  inclemency  of  weather  from  seek- 
ing its  prey. 

Although  formerly  so  plentiful  in  America  that  innumerable 
omens  were  drawn  from  its  appearance,  its  croaking,  or  its  flight,  it 
has  almost  become  extinct,  much  to  the  discomfiture  of  omen- 
seekers. 

A raven  in  our  possession  used  to  watch  the  gardener  taking 
particular  pains  to  prop  up  and  secure  a valuable  plant.  His 


140 


ROOK. 


labor  was  always  in  vain,  for  the  raven,  with  a sidelong  step  and 
an  unconcerned  air,  as  if  he  were  thinking  of  anything  but  the 
plant,  would  sidle  by  it,  when  one  wrench  of  his  iron  bill  laid  the 
unfortunate  plant  on  the  earth,  and  the  raven  moved  off  with  the 
most  provoking  air  of  innocence.  The  lady  to  whom  the  garden 
belonged  was  quite  afraid  of  the  bird,  and  declared  that  she  almost 
believed  that  it  was  possessed  by  some  evil  spirit.  It  used  to  walk 
behind  her,  so  that  she  could  never  see  it ; for  when  she  turned 
round,  the  raven  hopped  round  too,  and  kept  himself  completely 
out  of  her  sight.  At  last  it  became  so  very  mischievous  that  it  was 
sent  away. 

It  has  a great  capacity  for  imitating  sounds,  and  can  be  taught 
to  pronounce  whole  sentences,  or  sing  songs  with  wonderful  ac- 
curacy. 

In  the  northern  parts  of  Scotland  it  makes  its  nest  on  high 
rocks,  but  not  unfrequently  builds  on  the  summit  of  a tall  tree.  The 
nest  is  a large  irregular  structure  of  heath,  grass,  wool,  and  feathers, 
and  sea-weed,  if  it  builds  near  the  sea-shore.  It  lays  from  four  to 
seven  eggs,  of  a pale  green  color,  spotted  with  greenish  brown. 
The  length  of  the  bird  is  two  feet  two  inches,  and  the  expanse  of 
wing  four  feet  eight  inches. 

The  Rook  inhabits  almost  every  part  of  Europe,  and  is  very 
common  in  England,  where  it  lives  in  a kind  of  semi-domestication, 
inhabiting  a grove  of  trees  near  a house,  or  in  a park,  where  it  is 
protected  by  the  owner,  although  he  makes  it  pay  for  this  accommo- 
dation by  shooting  the  young  ones  every  year.  Apparently  in  con- 
sequence of  this  annual  persecution,  the  rook  has  an  intense  horror  of 
guns,  perceiving  them  at  a great  distance.  While  feeding  in  flocks 
in  the  fields,  or  following  the  ploughman  in  his  course,  and  devour- 
ing the  worms  and  grubs  turned  up  by  the  share,  the  rook  has  always 
a sentinel  planted  in  a neighboring  tree,  who  instantly  gives  the 
alarm  at  the  sight  of  a gun,  or  other  suspicious-looking  object. 


JACKDAW. 


141 

The  good  which  the  rook  does  by  devouring  the  grubs  of  the 
cockchafler,  and  the  tipulis,  or  daddy-long-legs,  both  of  which  are 
exceedingly  injurious  to  the  crops,  more  than  compensates  for  the 
damage  it  sometimes  causes  by  pulling  up  young  corn,  or  newly  set 
potato  cuttings;  in  the  latter  case  more,  I believe,  to  get  at  the 
wireworms,  which  crowd  to  slices  of  potato,  than  to  eat  the  vege- 
table itself. 

In  the  fruit  season,  the  rook,  like  most  other  birds,  likes  to 
have  his  share  of  the  cherries,  pears,  and  walnuts,  but  may  be  easily 
kept  away  by  the  occasional  sight  of  a gun.  Toward  evening,  the 
rooks  may  be  seen  flying  in  long  lines  to  their  resting-place.  They 
then  perform  sundry  evolutions  in  the  air,  and  finally  settle  to  rest. 

Round  the  base  of  the  rook’s  beak  is  a whitish-looking  skin, 
denuded  of  feathers,  the  reason  or  cause  of  which  is  not  plain.  A 
white  variety  of  rook  is  sometimes  seen.  The  eggs  of  the  bird  are 
five  in  number,  similar  to  those  of  the  raven  in  color,  but  much 
smaller.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  nineteen  inches. 

The  Jackdaw  is  another  well-known  bird.  It  does  not  build 
in  the  branches  of  trees  like  the  rook,  to  which  it  is  very  similar  in 
many  respects,  but  prefers  holes  in  decayed  trees  or  old  buildings, 
particularly  frequenting  church  towers  and  steeples.  The  jackdaw 
feeds  upon  almost  any  substance  that  it  can  find.  It  kills 
mice  with  a single  blow  of  its  beak,  and  then  devours  them 
piecemeal.  Grasshoppers,  beetles,  etc.,  are  also  killed  by  a squeeze 
across  the  thorax,  and  the  head,  wings,  and  legs  are  twisted  off 
before  the  bird  begins  to  eat  them.  It  treats  bees,  wasps,  and  other 
stinged  insects  with  much  more  caution. 

The  feathers  upon  the  crown  of  its  head  are  of  a grayish  white 
color,  a peculiarity  instantly  distinguishing  it  from  the  rook.  It  is 
frequently  kept  tame  and  is  very  amusing  in  captivity.  The  eggs 
are  of  a lighter  color  than  those  of  the  rook,  smaller  and  more 
sparingly  spotted.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  fourteen  inches. 


142  CROW— CHOUGH— EMERALD  BIRD  OF  PARADISE. 


The  Crow,  or  Carrion  Crow,  as  it  is  erroneously  called, 
seldom  feeds  on  carrion  ; for  poor  indeed  would  be  his  meals  were 
he  dependent  on  dead  sheep  or  horses  for  a livelihood.  Possibly 
the  name  was  given  as  a distinction  between  it  and  the  rook.  . 
Waterton  states  that  the  flesh  of  the  carrion  crow  is  just  as  good  as 
that  of  the  rook,  and  relates  how  he  once  served  up  a pie  of  these 
birds  to  some  friends,  who  thought  them  pigeons. 

It  will  also  eat  cherries  and  walnuts  like  the  rook,  and  when 
the  supply  of  insects  has  failed,  it  will  then  turn  its  attention  to 
the  duck-pond  and  farm-yard,  and  carry  off  a young  duckling  or 
chicken.  It  also  carries  off  eggs,  by  pouncing  upon  them,  and 
driving  its  bill  through  the  shell,  and  even  mice  and  rats  are  not 
unaccustomed  food.  The  nests  of  this  bird  are  placed  on  the 
summit  of  some  tall  tree,  and  contain  about  five  eggs,  closely 
resembling  those  of  the  rook.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  eighteen 
inches. 

The  Chough  is  rather  larger  than  the  jackdaw,  and  is  princi- 
pally distinguished  by  the  red  hue  of  its  bill  and  legs.  It  inhabits 
the  counties  of  the  western  coast  of  England.  When  tame,  it 
shows  a very  inquisitive  disposition,  examining  every  novelty  with 
the  greatest  attention.  It  builds  its  nest  in  the  cavities  of  high 
cliffs,  and  lays  four  or  five  eggs  of  a yellowish  white  color,  spotted 
with  light  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  seventeen  inches. 

The  Emerald  Bird  of  Paradise. — This  most  gorgeous  and 
elegant  bird  was  once  the  subject  of  much  discussion  between 
naturalists.  The  natives  of  New  Guinea  were  accustomed  to  dry 
them,  having  first  cut  off  their  legs,  and  then  to  offer  them  for  sale. 
In  this  footless  state  they  reached  Europe,  where  it  was  universally 
stated  that  the  bird  lived  always  in  the  air,  buoyed  up  by  the  light- 
ness of  its  feathery  covering ; that  the  shoulders  were  used  as  its 
nest ; that  the  only  rest  it  took  was  by  suspending  itself  from  a 


THE  EMERALD  BIRD  OF  PARADISE. 


144 


STARLING. 


branch  by  the  filamentary  feathers  of  the  tail ; that  its  food  was  the 
morning  dew ; together  with  many  other  conjectures  not  less 
ingenious  than  amusing. 

This  bird  is  about  the  size  of  a jay.  Its  body,  breast,  and 
lower  parts  are  of  a deep  rich  brown  ; the  front  set  close  with  black 
feathers  shot  with  green ; the  throat  is  of  a rich  golden  green ; the 
head  yellow ; the  sides  of  the  tail  are  clothed  with  a splendid 
plume  of  long  downy  feathers,  of  a soft  yellow  color.  By  these 
are  placed  two  long  filamentous  shafts,  which  extend  nearly  two 
feet  in  length. 

Of  these  beautiful  feathers  the  bird  is  so  proud  that  it  will  not 
suffer  the  least  speck  of  dirt  to  remain  upon  them,  and  it  is  con- 
stantly examining  its  plumage  to  see  that  there  are  no  spots  on  it. 
When  in  its  wild  state,  it  always  flies  and  sits  with  its  face  to  the 
wind,  lest  its  elegant  filmy  plumes  should  be  disarranged. 

The  Starlings  comprise  many  genera,  among  which  the 
Pensile  Orioles  of  America  are  the  most  interesting.  These  birds 
build,  or  rather  weave,  a fabric  not  unlike  loose  cloth,  composed  of 
hemp  or  flax.  This  nest  is  of  the  singular  form  represented  in 
many  engravings,  and  the  entrance  is  at  the  side.  In  all  probability 
this  singular  formation  is  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  out  the  black 
snake,  who  is  constantly  on  the  look-out  for  young  birds.  The 
parent  orioles  often  attack  the  snake,  and  compel  him  to  retreat. 

The  plumage  of  the  male  when  full  grown  is  very  brilliant. 
The  head,  throat,  and  back  are  black,  the  under  parts  are  orange, 
the  breast  vermilion.  A band  of  orange  passes  over  the  shoulders, 
and  the  tail  is  orange  and  black.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  almost 
eight  inches. 

This  is  not  the  only  bird  that  constructs  pensile  nests ; the 
Weaver  Birds  also  form  these  nests,  but  of  a different  form.  They 
look  like  great  pistols  hung  up  by  the  butt,  the  entrance  being  at 
the  muzzle,  and  the  nest  in  the  butt. 


146 


GROSBEAK,  OR  HAWFINCH. 


The  common  starling  is  a bird  well  known  both  for  its  beauty 
and  its  singular  method  of  flight.  When  a flock  of  starlings  begin 
to  settle  for  the  night,  they  wheel  round  the  place  selected  with 
great  accuracy.  Suddenly,  as  if  by  word  of  command,  the  whole 
flock  turn  their  sides  to  the  spectator,  and  with  a great  whirring  of 
wings,  the  whole  front  and  shape  of  the  flock  is  altered.  No  body 
of  soldiers  could  be  better  wheeled  or  countermarched  than  are 
these  flocks  of  starlings. 

The  starling  lives  principally  among  old  buildings,  and  is  very 
fond  of  gaining  admittance  into  dovecotes,  where  it  is  a harmless 
visitor,  and  may  be  suffered  to  remain  without  detriment  to  the 
pigeons  or  their  eggs. 

Its  nest  is  made  usually  in  a hole  in  a wall,  sometimes  in  a 
decayed  tree,  and  contains  five  eggs  of  a very  delicate  uniformly 
pale  blue.  There  is  never  any  difficulty  in  discovering  the  nest  of 
the  starling,  for  if  it  builds  in  a hole  of  a wall  it  generally  leaves 
several  straws  sticking  out,  as  if  to  indicate  the  locality ; and 
when  it  goes  to  take  food  to  its  young,  both  parent  and  children 
set  up  such  an  outcry  that  it  may  be  heard  a long  way  off.  Con- 
sequently, there  are  few  eggs  so  prevalent  in  the  string  of  the 
country  boy  as  those  of  the  starling. 

The  Grosbeak  or  Hawfinch. — We  now  arrive  at  the 
Finches — a very  numerous  and  interesting  family.  None  of  the 
species  are  large,  and  most  of  them  are  excellent  songsters.  Their 
beaks  are  conical,  and  fitted  for  the  destruction  of  corn,  peas,  etc. 

The  grosbeak,  or  hawfinch,  well  deserves  its  generic  name  of 
“ Berry -breaker,  ” for  its  beak  is  capable  of  breaking  the  hard 
kernels  of  the  cherry,  and,  according  to  Willoughby,  even  those  of 
the  olive.  It  is  not  a very  rare  bird,  although  it  is  but  seldom 
seen.  This  fact  is  accounted  for  by  its  great  shyness  and  dread  of 
mankind ; so  that,  although  it  remains  in  some  sections  throughout 


CHAFFINCH— GOLDFINCH. 


H7 


the  year,  it  seldom  ventures  out  of  the  thick  woods  in  which  it 
delights  to  dwell. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  very  shallow,  and  slightly  put 
together,  being  hardly  superior  to  that  of  the  wood-pigeon.  The 
eggs  are  from  four  to  six  in  number,  of  a greenish  white,  covered 
with  dark  marks  and  spots.  The  length  of  the  grosbeak  is  seven 
inches. 

The  Chaffinch,  or  Piefinch,  as  it  is  often  called,  is  so  well 
known  as  to  need  no  description.  It  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the 
beautiful  nest  which  it  constructs.  The  forks  of  a thorn  or  wild 
crab-tree  are  favorite  places  for  the  nest,  which  is  composed  of 
mosses,  hair,  wool,  and  feathers,  covered  on  the  exterior  with 
lichens  and  mosses,  so  exactly  resembling  the  bough  on  which  the 
nest  is  placed  that  the  eye  is  often  deceived  by  its  appearance. 

In  the  nest  four  or  five  very  pretty  eggs  are  laid  ; these  are  of 
a reddish-brown  color,  sparely  marked  with  deep  brown  spots, 
especially  toward  the  larger  end.  The  name  Coelebs,  or  Bachelor, 
is  given  to  this  bird,  because  the  females  quit  this  section  about 
November,  leaving  large  flocks  of  males  behind  them. 

The  Goldfinch,  or  Thistlefinch,  so  called  on  account  of  its 
fondness  for  the  down  of  the  thistle,  is  one  of  our  most  beautiful 
birds.  Where  thistles  abound  small  flocks  of  goldfinches  may  be 
seen  flying  from  hedge  to  hedge,  and  occasionally  pecking  the 
white  tops  of  the  thistles.  The  tufted  seed  of  the  dandelion, 
groundsel,  and  other  plants  is  also  eaten  by  the  goldfinch.  In 
captivity  it  is  very  tame,  and  can  be  trained  to  perform  a multitude 
of  tricks,  the  most  common  of  which  are  drawing  its  own  food 
and  water  with  a chain  and  bucket,  or  firing  a gun  when  com- 
manded. 

The  nest  is  very  beautiful,  being  mostly  made  of  wool  and 
down  from  various  plants,  and  is  usually  placed  on  the  extremity 


148  COMMON  LINNET— CANARY— YELLOW-HAMMER. 

of  a spray.  The  eggs  are  small,  of  a whitish  tint,  spotted  with 
orange  brown. 

The  Common  Linnet  frequents  commons  and  neglected  pas- 
tures. Its  song  is  very  sweet,  and  many  bird-fanciers  suppose  that 
the  mixed  breed  of  a canary  and  a linnet  has  a sweeter  song  than 
either  bird.  Its  nest  is  usually  built  in  the  centre  of  a large  and 
dense  bush.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  grayish-white  speckled 
with  red. 

The  Canary. — This  pretty  little  songster  is  so  well  known  as 
to  need  but  little  description,  particularly  as  there  are  no  oppor- 
tunities of  studying  its  natural  course  of  life.  From  the  manner 
in  which  the  canary  is  usually  reared,  it  is  evident  that  the  bird  has 
but  very  little  opportunity  of  exhibiting  its  natural  instincts. 

The  Sparrow. — The  courageous,  impudent,  quarrelsome 
sparrow  is  known  to  all,  and,  therefore,  will  not  be  particularly 
described.  There  are  few  who  have  not  seen  this  little  bird,  when 
pressed  by  cold  in  the  winter,  come  to  the  window,  expecting  his 
donation  of  crumbs.  It  is  very  fond  of  grain  of  various  kinds, 
and  does  some  damage  to  the  farmer,  but  the  destruction  of  cater- 
pillars by  the  bird  more  than  compensates  for  the  loss  of  the  grain. 
The  little  impertinent  bird  has  no  scruple  in  perching  on  the  pig’s 
trough,  and  partaking  of  his  dinner,  or  in  mixing  with  fowl  and 
taking  its  share  of  their  provisions  ; and  on  a newly-thatched  house 
it  absolutely  revels.  Dozens  of  sparrows  may  then  be  seen  peck- 
ing and  pulling  at  the  straws  in  high  enjoyment.  The  nest  of  the 
house  sparrow  is  usually  built  in  holes  of  roofs.  The  eggs  are 
speckled  black  and  white. 

The  Yellow-Hammer,  or  Yellow  Bunting,  is  a very  deli- 
cately marked  little  bird,  very  common  in  our  hedges,  where  it  flits 
before  the  traveller,  always  keeping  about  twenty  yards  in  front. 
It  make  its  nest  on  the  ground,  and  lays  five  eggs  curiously  scrib- 


LARK—B  ULLFINCH 


1 49 


bled  over  with  dark  chocolate  lines,  just  as  if  a child  had  been 
trying  to  write  Arabic  on  the  eggs. 

The  Larks  are  known  by  their  very  long  hind  toe.  The  sky- 
lark, which  pours  forth  its  animated  song  while  suspended  high  in 
the  air,  is  an  inhabitant  of  most  parts  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  North 
Africa,  but  is  not  found  in  America.  A very  interesting  story  is 
told  of  a skylark  that  was  brought  out  to  this  country  by  a poor 
emigrant,  and  which  used  to  collect  crowds  of  delighted  listeners 
round  its  cage.  An  English  settler,  who  happened  to  be  passing 
by  while  the  bird  was  singing,  was  so  affected  by  the  reminiscences 
which  its  song  called  up  that  he  offered  his  horse  and  cart  for  the 
bird,  on  the  spot.  The  owner,  however,  would  take  no  price  for 
it,  although  most  extravagant  offers  were  made,  and  kept  it  till  his 
death.  The  bird  afterward  passed  into  other  hands,  but  refused  to 
sing  until  its  cage  was  hung  up  in  the  open  air. 

The  nest  is  made  on  the  ground,  frequently  in  the  print  of 
a horse’s  foot,  and  contains  five  eggs  of  a greenish-white,  thickly 
spotted  with  brown.  There  are  generally  two  broods  in  the  year ; 
one  in  May,  and  the  other  in  July  or  August.  Immense  numbers 
of  these  birds  are  caught  annually  and  sent  to  the  London  markets. 
The  mode  of  catching  the  larks  is  generally  by  means  of  a number 
of  horsehair  nooses  attached  to  a long  line.  Food  is  scattered 
among  the  nooses,  and  the  larks  in  reaching  the  food  get  their 
limbs  entangled  in  the  horsehair,  and  either  strangle  themselves,  or 
are  held  until  the  fowler  comes  to  take  them  out. 

The  Bullfinch  affords  a singular  instance  of  the  power  of  art 
on  the  song  of  birds.  The  natural  note  of  the  bulfinch  is  low, 
and  can  only  be  heard  at  a short  distance ; but  when  well  trained 
the  bird  whistles,  or  “ pipes,’ * as  it  is  called,  any  melody  which 
had  been  taught  it,  in  a fine  flute-like  tone.  A good  piping  bull- 
finch sells  at  a very  high  price.  The  method  of  teaching  is  to 


150 


RHINOCEROS  HORNBILL. 


confine  the  birds  in  a dark  room,  and,  before  their  food  is  given  to 
play  the  air  that  they  have  to  learn,  on  an  instrument  called  a 
bird-organ.  The  birds  soon  begin  to  imitate  the  notes,  and  by 
degrees  the  whole  tune  is  learned.  Some  trainers  substitute  a 
small  clarinet  for  the  bird-organ.  When  in  captivity  the  bullfinch 
is  very  sociable,  and  soon  learns  to  know  its  owners,  and  to  come 
to  them  when  called. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  made  in  thick  bushes,  or  fir-trees. 
The  eggs  are  of  a pale-greenish  white,  spotted  with  orange  brown. 
The  name  of  bullfinch  is  given  to  it  on  account  of  the  large  pro- 
portionate size  of  its  head  and  neck.  When  in  captivity,  its 
plumage  sometimes  turns  black,  the  result  of  feeding  it  too  pro- 
fusely with  hemp -seed. 

The  Rhinoceros  Hornbill. — This  singular  and  almost  start- 
ling family  comprises  but  few  species,  which  are  all  natives  of 
India  and  Africa.  The  enormous  bill,  with  its  incomprehensible 
appendage,  although  heavy,  is  really  much  lighter  than  it  looks ; 
being  composed  of  a kind  of  light  honeycombed  structure.  The 
upper  protuberance  is  hollow,  and  the  only  conjecture  formed  of 
its  use  is  that  it  serves  as  a sounding-board  to  increase  the  rever- 
berations of  the  air  while  the  bird  is  uttering  its  peculiar  roaring 
cry.  In  spite  of  the  apparently  unwieldy  bill,  the  bird  is  very 
active,  and  hops  about  the  branches  of  the  trees  with  much  ease. 
The  appendage  to  the  upper  mandible  is  small  when  the  bird 
is  young,  and  only  attains  its  enormous  size  when  the  hornbill  has 
reached  its  full  growth. 

The  bill  of  the  hoopoe  presents  a somewhat  analogous  pecu- 
liarity, as  when  the  bird  is  young  the  bill  is  short  and  pointed,  and 
increases  with  the  size  of  the  bird.  From  this  circumstance, 
together  with  some  other  resemblances,  some  naturalists  imagine 
that  there  is  an  affinity  between  the  hornbills  and  hoopoes. 


CLIMBING  BIRDS— MACAWS. 


151 

The  hornbills  seem  to  be  omnivorous,  fruits,  eggs,  birds, 
reptiles,  etc.,  forming  their  food.  The  African  hornbills  are  ex- 
tremely fond  of  nutmegs,  and  are,  on  that  account,  said  to  be  pecu- 
liarly delicate  eating.  The  rhinoceros  hornbill  is  a native  of  India 
and  the  Indian  islands.  The  length  of  its  bill  is  usually  about  ten 
inches. 

The  Climbing  Birds,  now  engage  our  attention.  Under  this 
order  are  placed  the  Toucans,  Parrots,  Woodpeckers  and  Cuckoos. 
The  feet  of  these  birds  have  two  toes  in  front  and  two  behind. 
The  toucans  are  all  natives  of  tropical  America.  Their  enormous 
bill  is  rendered  light  in  the  same  way  as  that  of  the  hornbills,  by 
being  chiefly  composed  of  a honeycomb  structure.  It  seems  to  be 
very  sensitive,  and  well  supplied  with  nerves,  as  the  bird  not  only 
appears  to  enjoy  holding  meat  or  fruits  with  the  tip  of  its  bill,  but 
has  been  seen  to  scratch  that  organ  with  its  foot,  plainly  proving 
that  there  must  be  sensation. 

It  seems  to  be  omnivorous,  but  is  particularly  fond  of  mice  and 
small  birds,  which  it  kills  by  a powerful  squeeze,  then  strips  and 
finally  pulls  to  pieces  and  devours,  having  previously  reduced  them 
to  a shapeless  mass  by  repeated  lateral  wrenches  with  its  enormous 
and  saw-like  bill.  When  sleeping,  the  toucan  takes  great  care  of 
its  bill,  packing  it  away,  and  covering  it  carefully  with  the  feathers 
of  its  back,  and  altogether  presents  the  appearance  of  a large  round 
ball  of  feathers.  The  body  is  about  eighteen  inches  in  length. 
These  birds,  together  with  the  hoopoes  and  hornbills,  have  a habit 
of  throwing  their  food  down  their  throats  with  a peculiar  jerk  of 
the  bill. 

The  Macaws. — In  this  family  the  construction  of  the  bill  is 
very  remarkable.  As  the  curved  tip  of  the  bill  would  prevent  the 
bird  from  opening  it  wide  enough  to  admit  its  food,  the  upper 
mandible  is  united  to  the  skull  by  a kind  of  hinge  joint,  of  equal 


THE  COCKATOOS. 


RINGED  PAROQUET— COCKATOO. 


53 


strength  and  flexibility.  When  climbing  among  the  branches  of 
trees,  or  about  their  cages,  the  parrots  invariably  make  great 
use  of  their  hooked  bills  in  assisting  themselves  both  in  ascending 
and  descending.  The  crossbills  have  been  observed  to  climb  much 
in  the  same  way. 

The  parrots  are  said  to  be  very  long-lived  ; some  have  certainly 
been  known  to  live  upward  of  eighty  years  in  captivity,  and  may  be 
imagined  to  exceed  that  period  in  a wild  state.  The  macaws  are 
natives  of  South  America.  The  blue  and  yellow  macaw  inhabits 
Brazil,  Guiana,  and  Surinam,  living  principally  on  the  banks  of 
rivers. 

The  Ringed  Paroquet  is  frequently  seen  domesticated  in  this 
country,  where  its  pleasing  manners  and  gentle  disposition  render 
it  a great  favorite.  It  seems  to  be  exceedingly  fond  of  ripe  wal- 
nuts, divided  into  halves ; and,  while  it  is  picking  out  the  kernel, 
continually  utters  a short  clucking  sound  indicative  of  pleasure. 

It  soon  learns  to  repeat  words  and  short  sentences,  and  to 
speak  with  tolerable  distinctness.  Sometimes,  when  excited,  it 
utters  most  ear-piercing  screams,  and  always  appears  to  practice 
any  new  accomplishment  when  it  thinks  that  no  one  is  within 
hearing.  The  color  of  the  bird  is  green,  and  a rose-colored  band 
round  its  neck  gives  it  the  name  of  the  rose-ringed  paroquet.  The 
bill  is  red. 

The  Cockatoos  are  remarkable  for  the  powdery  surface  of 
their  wings,  and  the  crest  on  the  head,  which  can  be  raised  or  de- 
pressed at  pleasure. 

The  Sulphur-crested  Cockatoo  is  an  inhabitant  of  New  Guinea. 
Its  color  is  white,  and  the  crest  is  of  a sulphur  yellow.  Its  white 
plumage  glancing  among  the  dense,  dark  foliage  of  its  native  forests 
imparts  a wonderful  beauty  to  the  scene.  This  cockatoo  is  easily 
tamed,  and  is  of  a very  affectionate  disposition.  When  in  captivity 


154 


WOODPECKER. 


it  has  been  known  to  live  to  the  age  of  122  years.  Its  nest  is  built 
in  hollow  trees  and  the  crevices  of  rocks.  The  eggs  are  white. 
The  length  of  the  bird  is  about  eighteen  inches. 

The  Woodpeckers,  whose  name  indicates  their  habits,  are 
widely  spread,  being  found  in  all  quarters  of  the  globe  except  Aus- 
tralia. They  subsist  on  insects  and  grubs,  which  they  dig  out  of 
trees,  or  discover  under  the  bark.  For  this  purpose  their  whole 
structure  is  admirably  adapted.  The  bill  is  long,  sharp,  and  pow- 
erful, and  the  formation  of  the  feet  and  legs  is  such  that  the  bird  is 
able  to  grasp  the  tree  firmly  with  the  feet,  while  swinging  with  the 
force  of  his  whole  body  against  it. 

Another  singular  point  in  the  woodpeckers  is  the  method  by 
which  they  are  enabled  to  thrust  the  tongue  deep  into  the  crevices, 
and  bring  out  any  insects  that  may  happen  to  be  there.  The 
tongue  is  connected  with  two  elastic  ligaments  which  are  inserted 
near  the  juncture  of  the  upper  mandible  with  the  skull.  From 
thence  they  sweep  round  the  back  of  the  head,  and  passing  under 
the  lower  mandible,  enable  the  tongue  to  be  thrust  out  a consider- 
able distance.  The  tip  of  the  tongue  is  sharp,  and  barbed  with 
several  filaments;  and  more  firmly  to  secure  the  prey,  a kind  of 
gummy  secretion  causes  those  insects  to  adhere  that  would  be  too 
small  to  be  impaled. 

It  appears  to  be  an  erroneous  opinion  that  these  birds  injure 
trees.  Their  only  object  in  pecking  away  the  wood  and  bark  is  to 
get  at  the  insects,  which  they  know  are  hidden  within.  Now  in- 
sects seldom  or  never  bore  into  healthy  wood,  but  a decayed  branch 
or  stump  is  always  full  of  them,  as  is  well  known  to  the  entomolo- 
gist ; so  the  winged  entomologist,  when  he  perceives  a decayed 
branch,  or  finds  an  unsound  spot  in  the  trunk,  immediately  sets  to 
work  industriously,  and  is  rewarded  by  finding  plenty  of  insects, 
which  he  draws  out  and  demolishes. 


WR  YNECK—  CUCKO  O. 


*55 


Although  the  woodpecker  does  not  scoop  away  sound  trees, 
yet  it  is  because  they  have  no  motive  for  doing  so — not  that  the 
power  is  wanting.  Wilson  had  an  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  in  his 
possession,  which  pecked  away  lath  and  plaster  in  its  efforts  to 
escape,  and  utterly  ruined  a mahogany  table  to  which  it  was  fastened. 

The  Green  Woodpecker  is  by  far  the  most  common  in  this 
country,  and  may  be  often  seen  in  woods,  tapping  the  trees  with 
wonderful  rapidity,  the  blows  following  each  other  something  like 
the  sound  of  a watchman’s  rattle.  It  generally  runs  up  the  tree  in 
a spiral  direction,  occasionally  striking  off  large  pieces  of  dry  bark. 
When  it  descends,  it  still  keeps  its  head  uppermost. 

I have  more  than  once  seen  the  green  woodpecker  busily  em- 
ployed among  the  trees,  but  I have  never  seen  it  on  the  ground, 
and  but  once  on  the  smaller  branches  of  the  trees. 

The  Wryneck  is  common  in  the  southern  counties  of  England, 
but  is  scarcely  ever  seen  in  the  north  and  west.  It  principally  feeds 
on  ants,  which  it  picks  up  with  great  rapidity  by  means  of  its  long 
tongue',  covered  with  a glutinous  secretion  like  that  of  the  wood- 
pecker. The  rapidity  with  which  the  ants  are  taken  is  so  great, 
that  4 ‘an  ant’s  egg,  which  is  of  a light  color,  and  more  conspicuous 
than  the  tongue,  has  somewhat  the  appearance  of  moving  to  the 
mouth  by  attraction,  as  a needle  does  to  the  magnet.” 

The  term  wryneck  is  given  it  from  its  habit  of  rapidly  twisting 
its  head  and  neck,  and  hissing  like  a serpent,  if  disturbed  upon  its 
eggs.  The  young  also  hiss  if  they  are  molested.  Its  eggs  are  laid 
on  the  bare  wood  in  the  holes  of  trees.  Like  most  eggs  that  are 
laid  in  holes,  they  are  of  a pure  white.  The  length  of  the  bird  is 
seven  inches. 

The  Cuckoo,  spring’s  harbinger,  has,  in  all  ages,  obtained  for 
itself  a name  at  once  pleasing  and  disreputable ; pleasing,  because 
its  well-known  notes  are  a sign  that  the  cold  winter  is  gone  ; and 


156 


DOVE. 


disreputable,  because  it  usurps  the  nests  of  other  birds,  of  which  the 
hedge-sparrow  is  the  usual  victim. 

In  its  nest  the  cuckoo  deposits  one  of  its  own  eggs,  which  are 
remarkably  small  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird  The  un- 
suspecting hedge-sparrow  hatches  the  intruder  together  with  her  own 
young.  The  cuckoo  rapidly  increases  in  size,  and  monopolizes  no 
small  portion  of  the  entire  nest,  besides  taking  the  lion’s  share  of 
the  provisions.  The  mother,  however,  never  seems  to  perceive  the 
difference,  but  feeds  and  tends  the  interloper  with  quite  as  much 
care  as  her  own  young.  The  young  cuckoo  ejects  the  former  and 
rightful  occupants  of  the  nest,  by  managing  to  get  the  egg  or  young 
bird  upon  its  back,  clambering  up  to  the  edge  of  the  nest,  and  then 
throwing  it  over  by  a sharp  jerk. 

At  some  times  of  the  year,  cuckoos  are  comparatively  tame.  I 
have  repeatedly  decoyed  them  by  imitating  their  cry,  until  they 
came  near  enough  for  me  to  see  the  movement  of  the  beak.  The 
cuckoo  feeds  principally  on  the  hairy  caterpillars,  especially  those 
of  the  tiger  moth,  the  hairs  of  which  form  a kind  of  lining  to  its 
stomach.  These  hairs  are  placed  so  regularly,  that  it  was  imagined 
for  some  time  that  they  were  a growth  from  the  stomach  itself. 
To  settle  the  point,  the  microscope  was  brought  to  bear  on 
the  subject ; and  by  its  aid  the  hairs  were  found  to  be  exclusively 
those  of  the  caterpillar.  The  cuckoo  will  also  feed  on  other  insects, 
as  is  proved  by  Gilbert  White,  who  saw  several  cuckoos  engaged  in 
feeding  by  a large  pond.  They  were  chiefly  employed  in  catching 
the  dragon-flies,  some  of  which  they  took  while  resting  on  the 
water-plants,  and  others  they  caught  on  the  wing.  The  length  of 
the  bird  is  about  fourteen  inches. 

The  Dove. — This  family  is  supposed  to  be  more  widely  dis- 
tributed than  any  other.  The  ringdove  is  the  largest  of  our  native 
pigeons.  A black  ringlet  round  the  neck,  edged  with  white,  gives 


PIGEON— PEA  CO  CK. 


1 57 


it  the  name  of  ringdove.  It  is  very  common  in  America;  and  its 
nests  are  usually  found  to  consist  of  a few  sticks,  thrown  loosely  to- 
gether on  a spray  of  fir  or  holly.  The  structure  of  this  plat- 
form, for  nest  it  can  hardly  be  called,  is  so  loose,  that  the  white 
eggs  can  generally  be  seen  from  below  through  the  interstices  of 
the  nest. 

The  following  group  comprises  the  most  conspicuous  varieties 
of  the  Domestic  Pigeon.  All  these  birds  except  the  Carrier,  the 
Pouter,  and  Tumbler,  are  very  similar  in  their  habits,  and  need  no 
description.  The  tumbler  is  a small  pigeon,  and  derives  its  name 
from  its  singular  habit  of  falling  backward  when  on  the  wing. 
Pigeon  fanciers  assert  that  a flight  of  twelve  tumblers  may  be 
covered  with  a handkerchief.  The  pouter  is  a large  pigeon.  It 
stands  particularly  erect,  and  seems  exceedingly  vain  of  the  swollen 
crop  which  gives  it  the  name  of  pouter.  The  bird  is  enabled  to 
inflate  its  crop  with  air,  until  the  head  is  almost  hidden  behind  it. 
This  inflation  sometimes  causes  the  bird  to  lose  its  balance,  and  fall 
down  chimneys,  on  which  it  is  fond  of  standing. 

The  carrier  pigeon  is  the  bird  that  was  so  largely  employed  to 
take  messages,  before  the  invention  of  the  electric  telegraph  ren- 
dered even  the  speed  of  the  wind  too  slow  for  the  present  day. 
The  most  valuable  carriers  were  trained  to  carry  to  and  from  their 
residence.  A letter  was  written  on  a small  piece  of  paper,  and 
fastened  under  the  wings  of  the  pigeon,  or  to  its  feet.  The  feet 
were  then  bathed  in  vinegar  to  keep  them  cool,  lest  the  bird  should 
stop  on  the  way  to  bathe.  When  the  pigeon  was  set  free,  it  rose 
high  in  the  air,  made  one  or  two  circular  flights,  and  then  darted 
off  like  an  arrow  in  the  proper  direction.  One  of  these  birds  has 
been  known  to  fly  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  one  hour. 

The  Peacock. — This  magnificent  bird  is  not  a native  of  this 
country,  but  has  been  domesticated  in  America  for  many  years. 


i58 


COMMON  FHEASANT. 


Some  suppose  that  it  was  brought  from  India  by  Alexander,  and  by 
him  introduced  into  Europe. 

The  gorgeous  plumes  that  adorn  the  peacock  do  not  compose 
the  tail,  as  many  suppose,  but  are  only  the  tail  coverts.  The  tail 
feathers  themselves  are  short  and  rigid  and  serve  to  keep  the  train 
spread,  as  may  be  seen  when  the  bird  walks  about  in  all  the 
majesty  of  his  expanded  plumage.  Although  pea-fowl  seek  their 
food  on  the  ground,  they  invariably  roost  on  some  elevated  situation, 
such  as  a high  branch,  or  the  roof  of  a barn  or  haystack.  When 
the  bird  is  perched  on  the  roof,  its  train  l;es  along  the  thatch,  and 
is  quite  invisible  in  the  dark. 

In  the  times  of  chivalry,  a roasted  peacock,  still  clothed  in  its 
plumage,  and  with  its  train  displayed,  formed  one  of  the  chief 
ornaments  of  the  regal  board.  The  nest  of  this  bird  is  made  of 
sticks  and  leaves  rudely  thrown  together,  and  contains  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  eggs.  The  young  do  not  attain  their  full  plumage  until 
the  third  year,  and  only  the  males  possess  the  vivid  tints  and 
lengthened  train,  the  female  being  a comparatively  ordinary  bird. 

A white  variety  of  the  peacock  is  not  uncommon.  In  this 
case,  the  eyes  of  the  train  feathers  are  slightly  marked  with  a 
neutral  tint.  The  voice  of  the  peacock  is  as  unpleasant  and 
unmusical  as  its  external  appearance  is  attractive. 

The  Common  Pheasant  was  originally  brought  from  Georgia, 
but  has  completely  naturalized  itself  in  other  countries.  It  is  a 
hardy  bird,  and  bears  the  cold  months  very  well.  Although  it  can 
be  tamed,  and  will  come  to  be  fed  with  the  poultry,  yet  an  innate 
timidity  prevents  it  from  being  thoroughly  domesticated.  Young 
pheasants  that  have  been  hatched  under  a hen,  scamper  off  in  terror 
if  an  unexpected  intruder  makes  his  appearance  among  them, 
although  the  remainder  of  the  poultry  remain  perfectly  unconcerned. 
This  bird  loves  to  perch  at  night  on  trees,  especially  on  the  spread- 
ing branches  of  the  larch. 


DOMESTIC  FOWLS . 


159 


A white  variety  of  the  pheasant  sometimes  occurs,  but  seems 
never  to  be  propagated.  The  nest  of  the  bird  is  made  on  the 
ground,  and  contains  from  ten  to  eighteen  eggs  of  a uniform  dun 
color. 

The  Domestic  Fowls  are  too  well  known  to  need  much  de- 


THE  PHEASANT. 


scription.  There  are  many  varieties,  the  most  conspicuous  of  which 
are  the  Cochin-China,  Crested,  and  Bantam.  The  Game  Fowl  was 
formerly  in  great  request  for  the  cruel  sport  of  cock-fighting.  The 
Java  Fowl,  of  which  the  enormous  Cochin-China  bird  is  a variety, 
is  supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  the  Barn-door  fowl.  The  cock  has 


6o 


TURKEY. 


been  long  celebrated  for  his  warlike  propensities,  and  his  habit  of 
greeting  the  approach  of  morn  by  his  “ shrill  clarion.” 

The  bantam  is  a very  little  bird  indeed,  but  exceedingly  cour- 
ageous, and  does  not  hesitate  to  attack  a turkey  or  such  large  bird 
with  most  amusing  pompousness  of  manner.  Some  bantams  have 
their  legs  thickly  feathered  down  to  the  very  toes.  The  hackles, 
or  long  neck  feathers  of  this  and  the  preceding  bird,  are  much  used 
by  anglers  for  making  artificial  flies. 

The  celebrated  Jungle  Fowl  of  India  belongs  to  this  race,  and 
is  by  many  supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  our  domestic  game  fowl. 
The  Chinese,  who  are  greatly  addicted  to  the  sport  of  cock-fighting, 
prefer  this  bird  for  their  cruel  amusement.  The  Dorking  Fowl  is  a 
large  and  delicate  species.  The  chief  peculiarity  in  this  bird  is  the 
double  hind  toe,  so  that  it  has  five  toes  instead  of  four. 

The  Turkey  is  an  inhabitant  of  America,  and  appears  to  have 
been  imported  into  Europe  about  the  year  1600.  Its  habits  in  a 
state  of  domestication  need  no  description,  but  when  wild  in  its 
native  woods  are  rather  interesting.  It  is  partly  migratory  in  its 
habits,  moving  from  the  parts  about  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Indiana, 
toward  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi.  The  march  is  usually  performed 
on  foot  in  large  flocks,  the  birds  seldom  using  their  wings  except 
when  attacked,  or  in  order  to  cross  a river. 

The  powerful  birds  can  easily  cross  a river  of  a mile  in  length, 
but  the  weaker  frequently  fall  into  the  water,  and  then  paddle  to 
shore  with  some  rapidity.  This  migration  is  performed  about  the 
end  of  October. 

Among  the  birds  rightly  called  Grouse  are  the  Pheasant-tailed 
Grouse  or  Cock  of  the  Plains,  the  Pinnated  Grouse,  commonly 
called  the  prairie  hen  or  chicken,  and  the  Ruffled  Grouse,  called 
partridge  in  New  England,  and  pheasant  in  the  Middle  States.  The 
cock  of  the  plains  is  found  only  in  the  far  West ; it  is  the  largest  of 
the  American  grouse,  being  often  as  large  as  a turkey. 


QUAIL. 


161 


The  Quail  (Bob  White  so  called)  is  a common  little  bird, 
visiting  America  in  the  summer.  Countless  flocks  of  them  are 
spread  over  the  Southern  and  Middle  States,  and  many  are  taken 
and  sent  to  the  New  York  markets. 


the;  turke;y. 


Temminck  states  that  in  their  flight  to  Southern  Europe  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  arrive  in  Naples  and  Provence,  and  are  so 
fatigued  that  for  several  days  they  suffer  themselves  to  be  taken  by 
hand.  The  instinct  to  fly  by  night  is  implanted  in  them  for  the 
purpose  of  avoiding  the  birds  of  prey  that  would  attack  them  by 


162  PTARMIGAN— MOUND-MAKING  MEGAPODE. 

day.  The  female  lays  from  seven  to  twelve  eggs  in  a rude  nest  on 
the  ground.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  seven  inches ; the  second 
primary  feather  is  the  longest. 

The  Ptarmigan. — The  legs  and  feet  of  the  ptarmigan  are 
thickly  covered  with  hair-like  feathers,  reaching  as  far  as  the  claws. 
Their  plumage  bears  a singular  analogy  to  the  fur  of  the  ermine  and 
■some  other  quadrupeds,  as  it  changes  in  winter  from  a rich  tortoise-shell 
■color  to  a pure  white.  The  common  ptarmigan  inhabits  the  north- 
•ern  parts  of  Europe  and  America,  and  is  also  found  in  the  north  of 
Scotland,  principally  among  the  mountains.  The  color  of  the  bird 
is  so  similar  to  that  of  the  mossy  and  lichen -covered  rocks  among 
which  it  dwells,  that  a whole  covey  easily  eludes  an  unprac- 
ticed eye. 

Enormous  numbers  of  ptarmigans  are  annually  imported  from 
the  north  of  Europe,  especially  from  Norway  and  Sweden,  to  the 
London  market.  One  poulterer  has  purchased  fifteen  thousand  of 
these  birds  ; and  twenty-four  thousand  have  been  exported  in  one 
ship  from  one  place.  Like  that  of  the  grouse,  the  ptarmigan’s  nest 
is  a loosely-constructed  heap  of  twigs  and  grass,  and  contains  from 
ten  to  fourteen  eggs,  of  a reddish  white  spotted  with  brown. 

The  Mound-making  Megapode  inhabits  the  dense  thickets 
bordering  on  the  sea-shore,  and  is  never  found  far  inland.  Like 
the  brush  turkey,  it  deposits  many  eggs  in  one  mound,  but  instead 
of  placing  them  at  intervals  in  the  mound,  the  bird  makes  deep 
holes,  from  five  to  six  feet,  at  the  bottom  of  which  the  eggs  are  de- 
posited. 

The  natives  obtain  the  eggs  by  scratching  up  the  earth  with 
their  fingers,  until  they  have  traced  the  hole  to  the  bottom ; a very 
laborious  task,  as  the  holes  seldom  run  straight,  and  often  turn  off 
at  right  angles  to  avoid  a stone  or  root.  The  mounds  are  enor- 
mously large.  Mr.  Gilbert  was  told  by  the  residents  that  they 


OSTRICH. 


163 

were  the  tombs  of  the  aborigines,  nor  was  it  until  after  some  time 
that  their  real  nature  was  made  known.  The  height  of  one  mound 
was  fifteen  feet,  and  its  circumference  at  the  base  sixty  feet. 

The  Ostrich  is  the  largest  bird  as  yet  known  to  exist,  its 
height  being  from  six  to  eight  feet.  It  is  an  inhabitant  of  Africa, 
and  from  thence  the  elegant  plumes  are  brought.  These  plumes 
are  mostly  obtained  from  the  wings  of  the  bird,  and  not  from  the 
tail,  as  is  generally  imagined. 

An  immense  number  of  eggs  are  laid  by  the  ostriches  in  one 
spot,  several  birds  belonging  to  each  nest.  The  eggs  are  very 
large  and  strong,  and  are  in  general  use  by  the  Bosjesmans  for 
holding  water.  By  means  of  these  eggs,  which  they  bury  at  inter- 
vals in  the  sand,  after  filling  them  with  water,  they  are  enabled  to 
make  inroads  across  the  desert  and  retreat  with  security,  as  none 
can  follow  them  for  want  of  water.  Each  egg  holds  rather  more 
than  five  pints.  An  excellent  omelet  is  made  by  the  natives,  by 
burying  the  fresh  egg  in  hot  ashes,  and  stirring  round  the  contents 
with  a stick  through  a hole  in  the  upper  end,  until  thoroughly 
cooked. 

The  principal  strength  of  the  ostrich  lies  in  the  legs.  These 
limbs  are  so  powerful  that  a swift  horse  has  great  difficulty  in  over- 
taking the  bird.  As  the  ostrich  mostly  runs  in  large  curves,  the 
hunters  cut  across  and  intercept  the  bird,  which  would  in  all 
probability  escape  if  followed  in  its  exact  course.  The  ostrich  is 
easily  tamed,  as  those  who  have  been  pursued  by  the  magnificent 
birds  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  can  testify.  These  frequently 
astonish  the  visitors  by  suddenly  snatching  out  of  his  hand  a bun 
or  cake  which  he  had  intended  for  his  own  especial  benefit,  their 
long  necks  enabling  them  to  reach  to  a surprising  distance.  Many 
of  my  readers  have  doubtless  seen  the  tame  ostriches  at  the  Hippo- 
drome, who  ran  races  bearing  riders  on  their  backs,  and  really 


CASSOWARY. 


164 

seemed  to  enjoy  the  sport  as  much  as  any  of  the  spectators. 

The  food  of  the  ostrich  is  vegetable,  and  it  swallows  many 
stones,  etc. , to  assist  it  in  grinding  its  food.  When  in  confinement 
it  picks  up  anything,  glass,  nails,  etc. , from  the  effects  of  which  it 
sometimes  dies.  I have  assisted  at  the  dissection  of  an  ostrich,  and 
have  seen  an  astonishing  amount  of  pebbles  and  other  hard  mater- 
ials taken  from  its  stomach,  among  which  were  a tolerably  large 
piece  of  deal  and  a considerable  portion  of  a brickbat. 

The  Rhea,  or  American  Ostrich,  is  abundant  on  the  banks  of 
the  La  Plata,  and  is  chased  by  the  Gauchos,  who  pursue  it  on 
horseback,  and  kill  it  by  throwing  the  celebrated  “bolas.”  These 
curious  weapons  are  made  of  a long  leathern  thong,  having  a heavy 
stone  or  leaden  ball  attached  to  each  end.  The  Gaucho  can  throw 
it  so  as  either  to  stun  his  prey  with  a blow  from  the  ball,  or  strangle 
it  by  causing  the  thong  to  twist  round  its  neck. 

It  is  known  that  the  rhea  can  swim  well,  and  it  has  been  seen 
to  cross  rivers  several  hundred  feet  in  width,  a power  which  the 
ostrich  and  the  cassowary  are  not  ascertained  to  possess.  There 
are  two  species  of  this  bird,  one,  the  Darwin’s  Rhea,  has  been  but 
lately  introduced  to  science. 

The  Cassowary  is  a native  of  the  eastern  parts  of  Asia. 
Like  the  ostrich,  it  cannot  fly,  but  runs  with  great  swiftness,  and  if 
attacked  by  dogs  kicks  with  extreme  force  and  rapidity.  The 
feathers  of  this  bird  are  remarkable  for  being  composed  of  two 
long,  thread-like  feathers,  sprouting  from  the  same  root.  The 
wing  feathers  are  round,  black,  and  strong,  and  resemble  the  quills 
of  the  porcupine.  At  the  end  of  the  last  joint  of  the  wing  is  a 
sort  of  claw  or  spur.  The  crest  upon  its  head  is  composed  of  a 
cellular  bony  substance.  The  food  of  the  bird  consists  of  vegetable 
substances,  and  it  will  frequently  swallow  a tolerably  large  apple 
entire,  trusting  to  the  pebbles,  etc. , in  its  stomach  to  bruise  it. 


THE  OSTRICH 


EMU— A P TER  YX. 


1 66 

The  Emu  is  a native  of  New  Holland,  and  nearly  equals  the 
ostrich  in  bulk,  its  height  being  between  five  and  six  feet.  Its 
feathers  lie  loosely  on  the  body,  and  its  wings  are  small  and  hardly 
to  be  distinguished.  The  skin  of  the  emu  furnishes  a bright  and 
clear  oil,  on  which  account  it  is  eagerly  sought  after. 

In  its  manners  the  emu  bears  a close  resemblance  to  the 
ostrich.  ...  Its  food  appears  to  be  wholly  vegetable,  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  fruits,  roots,  and  herbage,  and  it  is  consequently, 
notwithstanding  its  great  strength,  perfectly  inoffensive.  The 
length  of  its  legs  and  the  muscularity  of  its  thighs  enable  it  to  run 
with  great  swiftness ; and  as  it  is  exceedingly  sly,  it  is  not  easily 
overtaken  or  brought  within  gunshot.  Dogs  will  seldom  attack  it, 
both  on  account  of  some  peculiar  odor  in  its  flesh  which  they  dis- 
like, and  because  the  injuries  inflicted  upon  them  by  striking  out 
with  its  feet  are  frequently  very  severe.  Its  flesh  has  been  com- 
pared to  coarse  beef,  which  it  resembles  both  in  appearance  and 
taste.  There  is  but  little  fit  for  culinary  use  upon  any  part  of  the 
emu  except  the  hind  quarters. 

The  voice  of  the  emu  is  a kind  of  low  booming  sound.  The 
eggs  are  six  or  seven  in  number,  of  a dark  green  color,  and  are 
much  esteemed  by  the  natives  as  food.  When  the  natives  take  an 
emu,  they  break  its  wings,  a curious  custom  of  no  perceptible  utility. 

The  Apteryx. — This  extraordinary  bird,  whose  name  is 
derived  from  the  apparent  absence  of  wings,  those  members  being 
merely  rudimentary,  inhabits  the  islands  of  New  Zealand.  It  con- 
ceals itself  among  the  densest  fern,  and  when  hunted  by  dogs,  it 
hastens  to  seek  a refuge  among  rocks  and  in  the  chambers  which  it 
excavates  in  the  earth.  In  these  chambers  its  nest  is  made  and  the 
eggs  laid.  The  natives  hunt  it  with  great  eagerness,  as  the  skins 
are  used  for  the  dresses  of  chiefs,  who  are  so  tenacious  of  them 
that  they  can  hardly  be  persuaded  to  part  with  a single  skin. 


DODO— PLOVER. 


1 67 

The  feathers  are  employed  to  make  artificial  flies.  When 
attacked  it  defends  itself  by  rapid  and  vigorous  strokes  with  its 
powerful  feet. 

For  many  years  naturalists  considered  the  apteryx  an  extinct 
species.  Latterly  the  question  has  been  set  at  rest,  not  only  by 
the  researches  of  Gould  and  other  naturalists,  but  by  the  arrival  in 
this  country  of  several  skins  and  one  living  specimen,  now  in  the 
Zoological  Gardens.  This  bird  has  a singular  habit  of  resting 
with  the  top  of  its  bill  placed  on  the  ground.  The  nostrils  of  the 
apteryx  are  placed  almost  at  the  very  extremity  of  the  bill.  The 
aborigines  of  New  Zealand  give  it  the  name  of  Kiwi  Kiwi.  The 
food  of  'the  bird  consists  of  snails,  insects,  and  worms,  which  latter 
creatures  it  obtains  by  striking  the  ground  with  its  feet,  and  seizing 
them  on  their  appearance  at  the  surface. 

The  Dodo. — This  singular  bird,  which  is  supposed  to  be 
extinct,  was  discovered  in  the  Mauritius  by  the  earlier  voyagers. 
For  many  years  their  accounts  of  the  Dodars  were  supposed  to  be 
mere  flights  of  fancy.  Lately,  however,  the  discovery  of  several 
relics  of  this  bird  in  varions  countries  has  set  the  question  of  its 
existence  at  rest,  but  not  the  question  of  the  proper  position  of  the 
bird.  Some  think  it  belongs  to  the  pigeons,  and  some  to  the 
ostriches. 

It  is  still  within  the  range  of  possibility  that  the  bird  may 
again  be  discovered,  as  at  present  but  little  of  Madagascar  has  been 
searched,  and  in  that  island,  if  anywhere,  it  will  be  found. 

The  Plovers  are  known  by  their  long  legs,  short  toes,  and 
long,  powerful  wings.  Many  are  inhabitants  of  America,  of  which 
the  Upland  or  Field  and  Golden  Plover  are  the  most  common. 

The  Golden  Plover  is  very  common  in  most  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  is  well  known  from  its  plaintive  cry,  and  the 
stratagems  it  employs  to  decoy  intruders  away  from  its  nest,  or 


COMMON  CRANE-HERON. 


1 68 

rather  eggs,  for  nest  it  has  none.  Frequently,  however,  the  attempts 
of  the  bird  only  draw  the  attention  of  the  passer-by  to  the  evident 
vicinity  of  the  eggs.  These  eggs  are  dark  brown,  blotched  with 
black,  and  are  hardly  to  be  distinguished  from  the  soil  where  they 
are  laid.  If  an  intruder  approach  them,  the  bird  glides  before 
him,  and  flutters  along,  drooping  her  wings,  as  if  wounded,  invari- 
ably endeavoring  to  lead  him  away  from  her  nest.  When  it  has 
succeeded  in  decoying  away  the  intruder,  it  suddenly  mounts  in  the 
air,  uttering  its  cry  of  pee-weet,  leaving  the  pursuer  to  gaze  with 
astonishment  at  the  escaping  bird. 

The  eggs  are  considered  great  delicacies.  When  flying,  the 
black  and  white  colors  of  its  plumage  make  it  very  conspicuous. 
On  the  head  of  the  bird  is  a kind  of  crest. 

The  Common  Crane  is  now  but  rarely  seen  on  our  shores, 
although  formerly  it  was  very  common.  It  flies  at  so  great  a height 
that,  although  its  hoarse  cry  is  audible,  the  bird  itself  is  far  out  of 
the  reach  of  sight.  It  generally  feeds  on  snails,  frogs,  and  worms, 
but  is  not  by  any  means  averse  to  newly-sown  grain.  The  nest  is 
made  among  reeds  and  rushes,  and  contains  two  bluish-green  eggs, 
marked  with  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  four  feet. 

The  Heron,  or  Herne,  is  a bird  renowned  in  the  noble  science 
of  falconry.  The  common  heron  generally  breeds  in  company, 
like  the  rooks  ; indeed,  these  two  birds  frequently  inhabit  contigu- 
ous trees,  but  never  interfere  with  each  other. 

In  the  dawn  of  the  early  morning,  or  while  tne  moon  casts  an 
uncertain  light,  the  heron  may  be  seen  standing  in  shallow  water, 
stiff  and  motionless,  and  by  the  faint  light  may  be  mistaken  for  a 
stump  of  a tree.  But  his  eye  is  keenly  directed  on  the  water,  and 
no  sooner  does  a fish  approach,  than  a dart  of  his  unerring  bill 
secures  it,  and  the  heron  soars  exultingly  to  his  nest,  bearing  his 
prey  with  him.  The  fixed  patience  that  the  heron  displays  has 


BITTERN— WHITE  SPOONBILL. 


169 


caused  it  to  be  chosen  as  the  emblem  of  solitude.  Its  plumes  were 
formerly  considered  as  ornaments  only  to  be  worn  by  the  noble. 

The  heron  sometimes  killed  the  falcon  in  its  stoop  by  throwing 
its  head  back,  whether  purposely  or  not  is  not  known,  and  receiving 
its  enemy  on  the  point  of  its  sharp  beak,  by  which  the  falcon  was 
transfixed  as  if  on  a bayonet.  It  has  been  lately  ascertained  that 
the  heron  can  swim  in  deep  water,  and  does  so  when  it  sees  any 
prey  that  cannot  be  reached  by  wading,  such  as  a nice  nestful  of 
young  moor-hens,  or  a water-rat  engaged  at  his  dinner.  The  nest 
of  the  heron  is  a flat  mass  of  sticks,  laid  on  the  highest  branches 
of  a tree,  and  contains  five  bluish-green  eggs. 

The  Bittern. — The  beautiful  bittern  has  been  almost  banished 
from  this  country,  although  it  was  formerly  a common  bird.  It 
frequents  morasses  and  dense  beds  of  reeds,  where  it  lies  concealed 
until  the  evening,  when  it  leaves  its  rushy  bed  and  soars  to  a vast 
height,  continually  uttering  its  sepulchral  booming  cry.  This 
singular  sound  is  not  unlike  the  bellowing  of  a bull,  and  is  most 
startling  in  its  effects. 

In  olden  times  the  bittern  was  one  of  the  birds  chiefly  sought 
after  in  falconry,  as  the  stout  defence  it  makes  against  its  enemies, 
by  darting  its  sharp  powerful  beak  at  them,  and  beating  violently 
with  its  feet,  renders  it  by  no  means  an  easy  prey.  The  plumage 
of  this  beautiful  bird  is  a rich  reddish-yellow  ground,  boldly  varie- 
gated with  various  black  marks,  which  are  most  conspicuous  in  the 
loose,  long  feathers  that  decorate  its  neck.  In  size  it  is  a little  less 
than  the  heron.  It  feeds  principally  on  small  reptiles,  field-mice, 
and  fish.  Its  nest  is  built  on  some  slight  elevation  in  a morass, 
and  contains  five  bluish-green  eggs. 

The  White  Spoonbill. — The  common  spoonbill  is  found  in 
Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  and  frequents  Holland,  together  with  the 
stork.  The  strange  shape  of  the  tip  of  its  beak  has  gained  it  the 


170 


STORK— SACKED  IBIS. 


name  of  spoonbill.  It  has  rarely  been  taken  in  this  country.  It 
feeds  on  worms,  snails,  and  water  plants,  searching  for  the  latter 
by  agitating  the  water  with  its  broad  beak. 

The  nest  of  the  white  spoonbill  is  sometimes  placed  in  trees, 
and  sometimes  amid  rushes.  It  contains  three  whitish  eggs,  slightly 
spotted  with  red.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  not  quite  three  feet. 

The  Stork  is  extensively  found  throughout  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa.  In  Holland  storks  are  very  abundant,  and  are  encouraged 
by  the  Dutch  to  build  in  their  towns.  Among  the  ruins  of  Per- 
sepolis  they  are  very  common,  scarcely  one  pillar  being  without  a 
stork’s  nest  at  the  summit.  In  Holland  a kind  of  false  chimney  is 
built  by  the  inhabitants  for  these  birds  to  make  their  nests  in. 
When  the  stork  cannot  find  a building  on  which  to  make  its  nest, 
it  chooses  the  flat,  spreading  branches  of  cedar  or  pine,  and  there 
collects  a large  mass  of  sticks  and  twigs,  on  which  it  lays  from  three 
to  five  whitish  eggs.  When  disturbed,  the  birds  make  a great  clat- 
tering with  their  bills. 

The  food  of  this  bird  consists  of  rats,  mice,  frogs,  etc.;  and  it 
is  for  the  benefits  it  confers  upon  man  by  devouring  these  vermin, 
that  it  is  so  carefully  protected  and  encouraged,  especially  in  the 
East,  where  the  inhabitants  do  not  trouble  themselves  to  remove 
carrion  or  offal,  but  leave  that  office  to  the  vultures,  hyenas,  and 
other  scavengers  of  nature.  The  height  of  the  stork  is  nearly  four 
feet. 

The  Sacred  Ibis  inhabits  Egypt,  but  does  not  seem  to  breed 
there.  This  is  the  bird  so  frequently  depicted  in  the  hieroglyphics 
as  playing  a conspicuous  part  in  religious  ceremonies.  Their  mum- 
mies are  constantly  found  in  the  tombs,  and  in  one  of  these  mum- 
mies Cuvier  discovered  remnants  of  skin,  and  scales  of  snakes.  It 
is  a migratory  bird,  appearing  simultaneously  with  the  rise  of  the 
Nile,  and  departing  as  the  inundation  subsides.  The  sacred  ibis  is 
about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  fowl. 


THE  STORK, 


172 


CURLEW— A VOCET— WOODCOCK— SNIPE. 


The  Curlew  is  found  in  the  northern  part  of  England  and 
Scotland,  and  is  spread  over  the  whole  of  the  Old  World,  from 
South  Africa  to  the  polar  regions.  In  winter  it  collects  in  large 
flocks  on  the  muddy  shores  of  the  sea,  where  its  long,  curved  bill 
can  easily  penetrate  in  search  of  food. 

It  is  an  excedingly  shy  bird,  and  cannot  easily  be  approached 
within  gunshot.  Its  nest  is  composed  of  grass  and  rushes,  collected 
under  the  shelter  of  a tuft  of  heath  or  grass,  and  contains  four 
greenish-olive  eggs  blotched  with  brown.  The  length  of  the  bird 
slightly  exceeds  two  feet. 

The  Avocet  is  spread  throughout  the  warmer  regions  of  Europe, 
and  is  also  found  in  some  parts  of  Africa.  It  is  very  common  in 
Holland,  and  is  frequently  seen  on  the  eastern  coasts  of  England. 
It  frequents  marshes  and  the  mouths  of  rivers,  where  it  finds  in  the 
mud  myriads  of  the  small  worms  and  insects  on  which  it  feeds,  and 
which  it  obtains  by  scooping  them  up  from  the  mud  with  its  curiously 
curved  bill.  It  is  a good  swimmer,  but  seldom  has  recourse  to  that 
art  except  when  it  wades  unexpectedly  out  of  its  depth. 

The  eggs  of  the  avocet  are  laid  on  the  ground,  in  a depression 
sheltered  by  a tuft  of  herbage.  Their  color  is  a bluish  green, 
spotted  with  black.  The  birds  when  disturbed  at  their  nests  feign 
lameness,  like  the  lapwing,  in  order  to  draw  the  intruder  to  a dis- 
tance. The  length  of  the  bird  is  eighteen  inches. 

The  Woodcock,  frequents  dense  thickets  during  the  day,  but 
at  night  it  leaves  these  retreats,  and  visits  the  swamps  and  flooded 
meadows,  where  it  finds  a sufficiency  of  worms  and  insects.  The 
nest  of  this  bird  is  a loose  mass  of  grass  and  leaves,  gathered 
together  in  some  sheltered  depression.  The  eggs  are  four  in  num- 
ber, of  a yellowish  brown,  blotched  with  dark  brown  and  gray. 

The  Snipe  is  too  well  known  to  need  description.  In  its 
habits  it  much  resembles  the  woodcock.  Its  flight  is  very  singular, 
rendering  it  a difficult  mark. 


CORNCRAKE,  OR  LANDRAIL— WATER-HEN. 


73 


The  Corncrake,  or  Landrail,  is  very  common  in  England. 
During  the  early  part  of  the  summer  months  its  harsh  cry  may  be 
heard  in  almost  every  field,  but  the  bird  itself  is  very  seldom  seen, 
as  it  threads  its  way  among  the  long  grass  with  marvellous  rapidity. 
Its  cry  can  be  so  exactly  imitated  by  drawing  a quill  sharply  across 
the  teeth  of  a comb,  that  the  bird  may  be  decoyed  by  the  sound 
until  quite  close  to  the  operator.  The  corncrake  is  so  averse  to 
rising  on  the  wing,  that  a dog  is  frequently  employed  to  hunt  it. 

The  young  when  taken  feign  death  with  admirable  accuracy, 
nor  do  they  move  until  they  imagine  that  the  intruder  is  safely  out 
of  the  way.  The  nest  of  the  corncrake  is  by  no  means  uncommon. 
It  is  formed  of  hay,  collected  and  worked  into  some  depression  in 
the  ground,  and  contains  from  eight  to  twelve  eggs,  of  a grayish 
yellow,  covered  with  dark  brown  spots.  The  length  of  the  bird  is 
about  nine  inches. 

The  Water-hen,  or  Moor-hen,  is  very  common  along  the 
reedy  banks  of  rivers  and  ponds.  It  is  very  widely  distributed, 
being  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  Old  World.  It  swims  very 
gracefully,  constantly  nodding  its  head,  and  dives  with  great  skill 
and  rapidity,  particularly  when  alarmed,  in  which  case  it  generally 
dives  under  some  floating  herbage,  and  remains  there  with  merely 
its  beak  above  the  water  until  the  danger  is  passed.  On  account  of 
this  habit,  it  is  almost  useless  to  shoot  this  bird  unless  the  sports- 
man is  accompanied  by  a dog,  for  if  it  is  not  shot  dead  it  instantly 
dives,  and  nothing  but  a dog  can  discover  its  retreat.  It  runs  on 
land  with  considerable  activity,  constantly  flirting  up  its  tail,  so  as 
to  show  the  white  feathers  beneath,  and  when  alarmed,  instantly 
makes  for  the  water. 

The  nest  of  the  water-hen  is  built  among  sedges  and  reeds  at 
the  water-side,  and  contains  from  five  to  eight  or  nine  eggs,  of  a 
cream  yellow  spotted  with  dark  brown.  When  the  water-hen 


174 


FLAMINGO— TAME  GOOSE. 


leaves  her  nest,  she  covers  the  eggs  with  dried  grass  and  reeds,  so 
as  completely  to  conceal  them,  apparently,  lest  the  rats  should 
-discover  them.  The  young  when  hatched  look  like  round  tufts  of 
black  down.  They  swim  and  dive  well,  following  their  parent 
with  great  address.  The  pike  is  their  chief  enemy,  and  destroys 
numbers  by  darting  at  them  from  under  the  cover  of  water-lilies  or 
other  plants. 

The  Flamingo  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  warmer  parts  of  Europe, 
and  is  common  in  Asia  and  the  coasts  of  Africa.  The  singularly 
shaped  beak  of  this  splendid  bird  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  its 
long  and  flexible  neck.  When  the  bird  wishes  to  feed,  it  merely 
stoops  its  head  to  the  water ; the  upper  mandible  is  then  lowest, 
and  is  well  fitted  to  receive  the  nutritive  substances  which  are 
-entangled  in  a filter  placed  on  the  edges  of  the  beak,  much  resem- 
bling the  analogous  apparatus  of  the  whale. 

The  flamingo  frequents  marshes,  lakes,  and  mouths  of  rivers, 
bidding  defiance  to  the  pestilent  exhalations  that  drive  man  far 
from  their  haunts.  The  color  of  their  plumage  is  a deep  brilliant 
scarlet,  except  the  quill  feathers,  which  are  black.  When  a num- 
ber of  these  birds  stand  ranged  in  a line,  according  to  their  cus- 
tom, they  present  the  appearance  of  a small  and  well-drilled  body 
of  soldiers. 

The  nest  of  the  flamingo  is  a curious  conical  structure  of  mud, 
with  a cavity  at  the  summit,  in  which  are  placed  two  or  three 
whitish  eggs.  When  the  female  bird  sits  on  the  nest,  her  feet  rest 
on  the  ground  or  hang  into  the  water.  The  height  of  the  bird  is 
between  five  and  six  feet. 

Of  the  Tame  Goose,  Anser  ferns,  nothing  need  be  said,  ex- 
cept that  enormous  flocks  are  bred,  containing  from  two  to  ten 
thousand  birds  each.  The  birds  are  periodically  subjected  to  the 
operation  of  plucking  out  the  quill  feathers. 


THE  BERWICK’S  SWAN, 


THE  MUTE  SWAN, 


THE  WHISTEING  SWAN, 


176 


SWAN— MALLARD— COL  YMB IDjE. 


The  Mute  or  Tame  Swan,  a well-known  ornament  to  our  lakes 
and  rivers,  is  not  an  inhabitant  of  America,  but  was  introduced 
from  Eastern  Europe  and  Asia  several  years  back.  All  are  familiar 
with  the  graceful  deportment  of  this  bird  while  sailing  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  water.  Unfortunately  its  progress  on  land  by  no  means 
corresponds  with  its  aquatic  grace,  being  confined  to  an  awkward 
waddle. 

The  female  swan  makes  its  nest  of  a great  mass  of  dry  reeds, 
placed  among  osiers  or  rushes  near  the  water,  and  lays  six  or  eight 
large  white  eggs.  During  the  incubation,  and  while  the  young  are 
still  small,  the  parent  birds  defend  them  with  great  assiduity  and 
courage. 

“ Like  a Black  Swan,”  was  formerly  a well-known  proverb, 
analogous  to  the  Horse  Marines  of  the  present  day ; unfortunately 
for  the  proverb,  a swan  has  been  discovered  in  Australia,  the  whole 
of  whose  plumage  is  a jetty  black,  with  the  exception  of  the  quill- 
feathers,  which  are  white.  It  has  been  domesticated  in  this  coun- 
try, and  may  be  seen  in  the  Central  Park,  eagerly  seeking  after  the 
crumbs  offered  by  juvenile  hands.  It  is  rather  smaller  than  the 
Whistling  Swan. 

The  Mallard,  or  Wild  Duck,  is  the  origin  of  our  domestic 
bird,  and  is  widely  spread  over  the  northern  parts  of  Europe,  Asia, 
and  America.  In  the  winter  it  migrates  in  countless  flocks  to  the 
warmer  States.  Incredible  numbers  of  these  birds  are  taken  in  a 
very  ingenious  trap,  called  a decoy.  It  is  a perfect  edifice  of  poles 
and  nets,  and  is  built  in  the  form  of  a tube,  very  wide  at  the 
mouth,  and  very  narrow  at  the  extremity.  The  ducks  are  induced 
to  enter  the  “ pipe  ” by  the  antics  of  a dog,  and  by  some  hemp- 
seed  previously  strewn  on  the  water.  They  are  then  driven  onward 
to  the  smaller  end,  where  they  are  caught  and  killed. 

The  CoLYMBiDiE  are  remarkable  for  their  powers  of  diving. 


GREBE—  GREA  T NOR  THERN  DIVER— PUFFIN.  1 77 


The  legs  are  placed  very  far  behind,  and  the  toes  are  so  arranged  as 
to  fold  up  when  returning  from  the  stroke. 

The  foot  of  the  Grebes  is  not  webbed  like  that  of  most  water- 
birds,  but  each  toe  is  separated  and  flattened,  so  as  to  serve  as  a 
separate  paddle.  The  grebes  dive  so  instantaneously  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  shoot  them,  as  they  dive  at  the  flash,  and  do  not  reappear 
for  nearly  two  hundred  yards,  and  then  they  merely  raise  their  head 
above  water  for  a second,  and  again  disappear. 

All  the  grebes  feed  upon  fishes  and  the  various  water  insects, 
but  their  stomachs  are  almost  invariably  found  to  contain  a mass  of 
their  own  feathers.  This  circumstance  presents  a singular  analogy 
to  those  masses  of  compacted  hair  which  are  found  in  the  stomachs 
of  cows.  In  all  probability  the  reason  for  their  presence  is  the 
same ; the  feathers  and  hairs  are  accidentally  conveyed  to  the 
stomach  after  the  creature  has  been  making  its  toilet. 

Of  the  three  British  species  of  Divers,  the  Great  Northern 
Diver  is  the  largest.  It  is  generally  found  on  the  shores  of  the 
Orkneys  and  Shetland.  This  bird  justly  deserves  its  name  of  diver, 
as  it  can  pursue  fish  under  water  with  the  greatest  ease  and  certainty, 
and  can  remain  under  water  without  inconvenience  for  a consider- 
able time.  The  nest  of  this  bird  is  a very  large  flattened  mass  of 
dead  herbage,  and  is  placed  near  the  water’s  edge,  in  some  place 
where  the  bird  imagines  that  the  reeds  and  flags,  among  which  it  is 
laid,  will  guard  it  from  discovery.  But,  unfortunately,  the  bird 
dislikes  flying,  and  prefers  to  walk  to  and  from  its  nest,  thereby 
leaving  a very  evident  track,  by  which  it  is  often  discovered.  The 
eggs  are  usually  two  in  number,  although  three  have  been  found  in 
one  nest.  Their  color  is  dark  olive  brown,  sparingly  marked  with 
dark  spots. 

The  Puffin  is  common  at  the  Needles  and  the  western  islands 
of  England.  It  forms  deep  burrows  in  the  soil,  in  which  one  egg 


278 


CAPE  PENGUIN. 


is  deposited,  or  usurps  the  burrow  of  a rabbit.  The  hole  is  gener- 
ally from  three  to  four  feet  in  depth,  when  the  puffin  is  forced  to 
labor  for  itself ; it  usually  takes  a winding  course ; and  the  inhabi- 
tant is  secured  from  surprise  by  forming  two  entrances,  in  order 
that  if  one  entrance  is  attacked,  it  may  escape  by  the  other. 

The  egg  is  always  deposited  at  the  furthest  extremity  of  the 
hole,  and  is  not  easy  to  be  obtained,  on  account  of  the  vigorous 
resistance  made  by  the  parent  bird.  It  is  an  excellent  diver, 
plunging  fearlessly  from  a lofty  cliff  into  the  sea,  and  speedily 
returning  with  its  beak  full  of  fish,  usually  sprats,  which  are  secured 
by  their  heads,  and  lie  in  a row  along  the  bill  of  the  puffin,  form- 
ing a kind  of  piscatorial  fringe.  Its  enormous  and  sharp-edged 
bill  renders  it  a formidable  antagonist  to  intruders.  The  length  of 
the  bird  is  thirteen  inches. 

It  is  said  that  the  raven  and  the  puffin  have  occasional  con- 
flicts, the  object  of  dispute  being  generally  the  egg  or  young  of  the 
auk,  for  which  the  raven  has  a great  predilection.  The  issue  of  the 
combat  depends  principally  on  its  position,  each  bird  trying  to  keep 
to  its  own  peculiar  element.  If  the  puffin  can  drag  the  raven  over 
the  rocks  into  the  sea,  it  is  speedily  victorious,  as  it  drowns  its 
adversary  without  much  trouble,  but  if,  on  the  contrary,  the  raven 
can  keep  to  shore,  its  superior  size  and  strength  gain  the  dominion. 

The  Cape  Penguin  is  very  common  at  the  cape  of  Good  Hope 
and  the  Falkland  Islands.  From  the  extraordinary  sound  it  pro- 
duces while  on  shore,  it  is  called  the  Jackass  Penguin.  Darwin 
gives  the  following  interesting  account  of  this  bird:  “In  diving 

its  little  plumeless  wings  are  used  as  fins,  but  on  the  land  as  front 
legs.  When  crawling  (it  may  be  said  on  four  legs)  through  the 
tussocks,  or  on  the  side  of  a grassy  cliff,  it  moved  so  very  quickly 
that  it  might  readily  have  been  mistaken  for  a quadruped.  When 
at  sea  and  fishing,  it  comes  tc  the  surface,  for  the  purpose  of 


STORMY  PETREL—  WANDERING  ALBA  TROSS.  1 79 


breathing,  with  such  a spring,  and  dives  again  so  instantaneously, 
that  I defy  any  one  at  first  sight  to  be  sure  that  it  is  not  a fish 
leaping  for  sport.  * ’ 

These  birds  feed  their  young  in  a very  singular  manner.  The 
parent  bird  gets  on  a hillock,  and  apparently  delivers  a very 
impassioned  speech  for  a few  minutes,  at  the  end  of  which  it  lowers 
its  head  and  opens  its  beak.  The  young  one,  who  has  been  a 
patient  auditor,  thrusts  its  head  into  the  open  beak  of  the  mother, 
and  seems  to  suck  its  subsistence  from  the  throat  of  the  parent 
bird.  Another  speech  is  immediately  made,  and  the  same  process 
repeated  until  the  young  is  satisfied.  This  penguin  is  very  cour- 
ageous, but  utterly  destitute  of  the  better  part  of  courage — 
discretion ; for  it  will  boldly  charge  at  a man. 

The  Stormy  Petrel  is,  under  the  name  of  Mother  Carey’s 
chicken,  the  terror  of  the  sailor,  who  always  considers  the  bird  as 
the  precursor  of  a storm.  It  is  the  smallest  of  the  web-footed 
birds.  Few  storms  are  violent  enough  to  keep  this  curious  little 
bird  from  wandering  over  the  waves  in  search  of  food  that  the 
disturbed  water  casts  to  the  surface.  Like  the  fulmar,  the  stormy 
petrel  is  so  exceedingly  oily  in  texture  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Faroe  Islands  draw  a wick  through  its  body  and  use  it  as  a lamp. 

The  Wandering  Albatross,  the  largest  of  the  genus,  is  a 
well-known  bird  in  the  southern  seas,  following  ships  for  many 
miles  in  hopes  of  obtaining  the  refuse  thrown  overboard.  So 
voracious  is  the  albatross  that  it  will  swallow  entire  a fish  of  four 
or  five  pounds’  weight.  The  flight  of  this  bird  is  peculiarly 
majestic.  Its  extreme  length  of  wing  prevents  it  from  rising  at 
once  from  the  ground,  but  when  once  launched  into  the  air  it 
seems  to  float  and  direct  its  course  without  effort. 

The  voracity  of  the  albatross  renders  it  an  easy  prey.  A 
hook  is  baited  with  a piece  of  blubber,  fastened  firmly  to  a string, 


8o  SILVERY  GULL— SEA-SWALLOW— CORMORANT. 


and  suffered  to  tow  astern.  The  bird  immediately  sweeps  down  to 
seize  its  prey,  and  is  arrested  by  the  hook,  by  means  of  which  it  is 
drawn  into  the  ship.  It  seems  rather  remarkable  that  a bird  that 
lives  in  or  over  the  sea  during  its  whole  life  should  prove  a lands- 
man when  taken  on  board.  Yet,  when  the  albatross  is  caught  and 
placed  on  deck,  it  begins  to  stagger  about,  and  soon  becomes  as 
thoroughly  seasick  as  the  most  inexperienced  passenger.  The 
expanse  of  the  wing  in  the  wandering  albatross  is  from  eleven  to 
fourteen  feet. 

The  Silvery  Gull  is  seen  all  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  it  seeks  the  warmer  coasts  of  the  southern  States. 
Its  nest  is  composed  of  grass,  rushes,  and  other  materials,  and  con- 
tains three  or  four  eggs,  of  an  olive  green  marked  with  very  dark 
brown.  Neither  the  gulls  nor  the  terns  dive,  but  snatch  up  their 
prey  when  at  or  near  the  surface. 

The  Terns  or  Sea-Swallows  are  possessed  of  great  power 
and  endurance  of  flight,  their  long  forked  tails  and  pointed  wings 
indicating  strength  and  swiftness.  The  common  tern  is  found  in 
plenty  along  the  southern  shores  of  Europe,  and  in  many  parts  of 
Asia  and  Africa.  It  is  frequently  seen  on  the  southern  shores  of 
England,  and  has  been  found  in  North  America. 

It  preys  on  fish,  which  it  snatches  from  the  surface  with 
unerring  aim,  as  it  skims  over  the  waves  with  astonishing  velocity. 
The  nest  of  this  bird  is  made  on  the  sand  above  high-water  mark, 
and  contains  two  or  three  eggs,  on  which  the  female  usually  sits  by 
night.  The  length  of  the  common  tern  is  about  fourteen  inches. 
The  Noddy,  so  frequently  celebrated  by  travellers  who  have  passed 
the  equator,  is  a species  of  tern. 

The  Cormorant  is  found  in  abundance  on  the  American  coast 
and  is  widely  spread  over  many  parts  of  the  world.  It  is  exceed- 
ingly voracious,  and  devours  an  almost  incredible  amount  of  fish. 


THE  PEEICAN, 


1 82 


WHITE  PELICAN. 


It  is  an  excellent  diver,  and  chases  the  fish  actually  under  the 
water,  seldom  if  ever  returning  without  having  secured  its  prey. 
Like  the  otter  when  engaged  in  chase,  it  occasionally  rises  to  take 
breath,  and  then  resumes  the  pursuit  with  renewed  vigor. 

The  cormorant  has  the  power  of  perching  on  trees,  an  accom- 
plishment which  we  would  hardly  suspect  a web-footed  bird  of 
possessing. 

The  cormorant  is  easily  tamed,  and  its  fishing  propensities  can 
be  turned  to  good  account.  The  Chinese,  at  the  present  day, 
employ  a kind  of  cormorant  for  that  purpose,  having  previously 
placed  a ring  round  the  bird’s  neck,  to  prevent  it  from  swallowing 
the  fish.  The  eggs  of  this  bird  are  usually  laid  on  a rock,  but 
sometimes  in  the  branches  of  trees.  A thick  coat  of  chalk 
envelops  the  eggs,  and  can  be  easily  scraped  off  with  a knife.  The 
length  of  the  bird  is  about  three  feet. 

The  White  Pelican  inhabits  Africa,  India,  a great  part  of 
the  south  eastern  portions  of  Europe  and  the  United  States.  It  is 
a very  conspicuous  bird,  its  singular  membranous  pouch  offering  a 
distinction  perfectly  unmistakable.  The  pouch,  when  distended, 
holds  two  gallons  of  water,  but  the  bird  has  the  power  of  con- 
tracting it  so  that  it  is  scarcely  to  be  discerned.  The  pouch  also 
serves  as  a net  in  which  to  scoop  up  the  fish  on  which  the  pelican 
feeds.  Another  most  important  use  of  the  pouch  is  to  convey  the 
food  to  the  young.  The  parent  pelican  presses  the  pouch  against 
its  breast,  in  order  to  enable  the  young  to  obtain  the  fish  ; which 
action,  in  all  probability,  gave  rise  to  the  fable  of  the  pelican  feed- 
ing its  young  with  its  own  blood.  The  red  tips  of  the  bill  prob- 
ably aided  the  deception. 

f 

Although  a web-footed  bird,  the  pelican,  like  the  cormorant, 
can  perch  on  trees,  although  it  prefers  sitting  on  rocks.  The  color 


REPTILES— LIZARD. 


183 


of  this  bird  is  a pure  white,  with  a very  slight  tinge  of  rose-color, 
and  the  pouch  is  yellow.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  six  feet. 

REPTILES. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  singular  class  of  Reptiles.  The  animals 
of  this  class  vary  exceedingly  in  their  forms,  sizes,  and  habits,  but 
the  peculiar  formation  of  the  circulatory  system,  together  with 
many  other  anatomical  distinctions,  plainly  mark  them  out  as  a 
distinct  class. 


THE  GREEN  LIZARD. 

The  Lizards  are  usually  active,  bright-eyed  little  creatures, 
delighting  to  bask  in  the  sun,  near  some  safe  retreat,  to  which  they 
dart  with  astonishing  celerity  upon  the  slightest  alarm.  Two  species 
of  lizards  inhabit  this  country,  the  common  lizard  and  the  sand 
lizard.  The  latter  animal  is  considerably  larger  than  the  common 
lizard,  as  it  sometimes  measures  a foot  in  length.  It  frequents 
sandy  heaths,  and  in  the  sand  its  eggs  are  deposited,  fourteen  or 
fifteen  in  number.  The  eggs  are  hatched  by  the  heat  of  the  sun. 


84 


BLIND  WORM— IGUANA. 


and  the  young  immediately  lead  an  independent  life.  During  the 
winter  this  as  well  as  the  common  lizard  hibernates  in  a burrow 
usually  made  under  the  roots  of  a tree,  nor  does  it  again  make  its 
appearance  until  the  spring. 

The  common  lizard  is  only  six  inches  in  length.  It  is  more 
active  than  the  sand  lizard,  disappearing  like  magic  on  being 
alarmed.  When  seized,  its  tail  frequently  snaps  off  like  glass. 
Both  lizards  feed  on  insects. 

The  Blind-worm  is  not  a snake,  as  generally  supposed,  but  a 
legless  lizard  of  the  Skink  family.  It  is  perfectly  harmless ; its 
small  mouth  and  very  minute  teeth  precluding  all  attempts  to  injure, 
even  if  it  had  the  will.  When  alarmed,  it  snaps  asunder  at  the 
slightest  blow,  like  the  tail  of  the  common  lizard,  and  from  that 
peculiarity  has  derived  its  name  of  “ fragilis.”  It  feeds  almost  en- 
tirely on  small  slugs,  its  jaws  not  being  capable  of  admitting  any 
larger  prey.  It  is  very  common  in  most  parts  of  America,  and 
may  be  seen  basking  in  the  sun  in  hedge-rows  or  under  old  walls. 
Its  eyes  are  very  small,  but  brilliant. 

The  Iguana  family  is  a very  large  one,  containing  150  species. 
The  common  iguana  i^  a native  of  Brazil,  Cayenne,  Jamaica,  etc. 
In  spite  of  its  repulsive  appearance,  it  is  with  many  people  a 
favorite  article  of  food,  and  is  said  somewhat  to  resemble  chicken. 
It  is  very  fierce  when  attacked,  and  snaps  at  its  enemies  in  a most 
determined  manner,  often  scaring  away  an  intruder  by  the  ferocity 
of  its  aspect. 

It  is  generally  taken  by  throwing  a noose  over  its  head,  and 
dragging  it  from  the  branches  by  main  force.  It  is  then  immedi- 
ately killed,  as  its  sharp  notched  teeth  can  inflict  a very  disagreeable 
wound.  Sometimes  it  is  hunted  with  dogs  trained  to  the  sport.  It 
attains  a considerable  size,  frequently  reaching  the  length  of  six 
feet.  It  feeds  usually  on  vegetable  substances,  such  as  leaves,  fruit, 


FLYING  DRAGON— CHAMELEON— SNAKE. 


85 


and  fungi ; but  iguanas  have  been  seen  in  the  Island  of  Isabella  that 
feed  on  eggs,  insects,  and  even  the  intestines  of  fowls. 

The  terrible  name  of  a Flying  Dragon  belongs  to  a harmless 
little  lizard  that  lives  on  trees  and  feeds  on  insects.  The  peculiar 
structure  of  its  body  bears  a singular  resemblance  to  that  of  the 
flying  squirrel.  The  first  six  false  ribs  are  greatly  elongated,  and 
support  a wing-like  expansion  of  skin,  which  when  stretched  serves 
to  bear  them  up  as  they  skim  through  the  air  from  one  tree  to  an- 
other. While  running  about  on  the  branches,  the  so-called  wings 
are  folded  to  the  side,  but  when  it  wishes  to  throw  itself  from  the 
tree,  the  ribs  are  raised,  and  the  wings  expanded.  It  is  common 
in  Java,  India,  and  Borneo. 

The  Common  Chameleon  is  plentifully  found  in  northern 
Africa,  the  south  of  Spain,  and  Sicily.  It  lives  on  trees,  but  ex- 
hibits none  of  the  activity  usually  found  in  aboreal  reptiles.  On 
the  contrary,  its  movements  are  absurdly  grave  and  solemn.  The 
whole  activity  of  the  animal  seems  to  be  centred  in  its  tongue,  by 
means  of  which  organ  it  secures  flies  and  other  insects  with  such 
marvellous  rapidity  that  the  ancients  may  well  be  pardoned  for  their 
assertion  that  the  air  formed  the  only  food  of  the  chameleon. 

Highly  exaggerated  descriptions  have  been  given  of  the  changes 
of  color  in  the  animal.  The  changes  are  by  no  means  so  complete, 
nor  are  the  colors  so  bright,  as  generally  supposed. 

The  power  of  the  chameleon  to  move  its  eyes  in  different  direc- 
tions at  the  same  time  gives  it  a most  singular  aspect.  Its  enor- 
mously long  tongue  can  be  withdrawn  into  the  mouth  when  not  in 
use ; but  when  the  creature  sees  a fly  within  reach,  the  tongue  is 
instantly  darted  forth,  and  by  means  of  a gummy  secretion  at  the 
tip  secures  the  fly.  The  whole  movement  is  so  quick  as  almost  to 
elude  the  eye. 

The  peculiar  gliding  movements  of  the  Snakes  render  them 


1 86 


RA  TTLESNA  KE. 


excellent  types  of  the  reptiles  ; a word  derived  from  the  Latin  repo , 
I creep.  The  extraordinary  flexibility  of  their  bodies  is  caused  by 
the  structure  of  their  vertebrae,  each  one  of  which  fits  into  the  one 
behind  it  by  a ball-and-socket  joint,  thus  allowing  freedom  of  mo- 
tion in  every  direction. 

The  Rattlesnake  is  a native  of  America.  Its  name  is  derived 
from  the  loose  bony  structure  at  the  extremity  of  its  tail,  called  the 
rattle,  and  which  by  the  sound  of  its  movements  gives  timely  inti- 
mation of  the  vicinity  of  this  terrible  reptile.  Fortunately,  its  dis- 
position is  exceedingly  sluggish,  and  it  invariably  sounds  its  rattle 
when  irritated  or  disturbed.  Its  bite  is  inevitably  mortal,  and 
death  always  ensues  within  a few  hours  after  the  wound  has  been 
inflicted. 

The  deadly  weapons  with  which  the  venomous  serpents  are 
armed  are  two  long  curved  fangs  belonging  to  the  upper  jaw,  and 
moving  on  a hinge,  by  which  they  lie  flat  in  the  mouth  when  not 
wanted.  An  aperture  exists  in  the  point  of  the  fang,  by  which  a 
poisonous  fluid,  secreted  in  a gland  at  the  base  of  the  tooth,  is 
poured  into  the  wound,  and,  mixing  with  the  blood,  rapidly  carries 
its  deadly  influence  throughout  tne  entire  system.  A short  time 
since  an  American  physician  was  exhibiting  a caged  rattlesnake  to 
his  friends ; he  approached  his  hand  too  near  the  irritated  reptile, 
who  instantaneously  inflicted  a wound ; and,  although  every  pre- 
caution was  taken,  the  bite  proved  fatal  in  a few  hours. 

An  American  traveller  told  me  that,  even  when  these  snakes 
are  ready  for  a spring,  they  can  be  avoided  by  smartly  clapping  the 
hands  together,  or  striking  the  ground  with  a stick.  The  snake 
has  the  whole  powers  of  its  mind  bent  upon  its  fatal  stroke,  and, 
on  hearing  such  an  unexpected  sound,  it  is  startled,  like  a man 
suddenly  waked  from  sleep,  and  falls  down  in  its  coil  again,  giving 
time  for  its  intended  victim  to  escape  before  it  has  made  up  its 


PUFF  ADDER. 


187 


mind  to  another  assault.  The  length  of  this  snake  has  seldom 
been  known  to  exceed  seven  feet. 

The  Puff  Adder  is  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  Africa.  It  is  a 
short,  thick,  somewhat  flat  snake,  of  a most  sinister  and  malignant 
aspect.  The  following  alarming  adventure  occurred  to  Mr.  Cole, 


the  rattlesnake. 


a resident  in  the  Cape  : “ I was  going  quietly  to  bed  one  evening, 
wearied  by  a long  day’s  hunting,  when,  close  to  my  feet  and  by 
my  bedside,  some  glittering  substance  caught  my  eye.  I stooped 
to  pick  it  up ; but,  ere  my  hand  had  quite  reached  it,  the  truth 
flashed  across  me — it  was  a snake  ! Had  I followed  my  first 


1 88 


COMMON  VIPER— BOA-CONSTRICTOR 


natural  impulse,  I should  have  sprung  away,  but  not  being  able 
clearly  to  see  in  what  position  the  reptile  was  lying,  or  which  way 
his  head  was  pointed,  I controlled  myself,  and  remained  rooted 
breathless  to  the  spot.  Straining  my  eyes,  but  moving  not  an 
inch,  I at  length  clearly  distinguished  a huge  puff  adder,  the  most 
deadly  snake  in  the  colony,  whose  bite  would  have  sent  me  to  the 
other  world  in  an  hour  or  two.  I watched  him  in  silent  horror  • 
his  head  was  from  me;  so  much  the  worse — for  this  snake,  unlike 
any  other,  always  rises  and  strikes  back.  He  did  not  move ; he 
was  asleep.  Not  daring  to  shuffle  my  feet,  lest  he  should  awake 
and  spring  upon  me,  I took  a jump  backward,  that  would  have 
done  honor  to  a gymnastic  master,  and  thus  darted  outside  the 
door  of  the  room ; with  a thick  stick  I then  returned  and  settled 
his  worship.” 

It  is  more  dangerous,  because  it  has  a way  of  flattening  itself 
upon  the  ground ; so  that,  when  it  is  lying  thus  concealed  upon  the 
sand,  an  incautious  pedestrian  is  very  likely  to  tread  upon  it. 

The  Common  Viper,  or  Adder,  is  the  only  venomous  reptile 
inhabiting  England,  nor  is  its  bite  nearly  so  dangerous  in  its  con- 
sequences as  has  been  reported.  Seldom  has  the  bite  of  the  viper 
proved  mortal ; and  in  all  probability,  had  proper  precautions  been 
taken,  no  case  would  have  been  fatal.  Viper-catchers  employ  olive 
oil  as  a remedy  against  the  bite,  and,  from  all  accounts,  it  appears 
to  be  a certain  preservative  against  all  evil  effects.  The  oil  should 
be  heated  to  produce  its  full  efficacy. 

It  is  asserted  that,  when  danger  threatens,  the  female  viper 
opens  her  mouth  and  permits  her  brood  to  hide  themselves,  but  it 
is  by  no  means  an  ascertained  fact.  Frogs,  lizards,  mice,  and 
other  small  animals,  form  the  food  of  this  reptile,  but  sometimes  it 
falls  a victim  to  its  own  voracity. 

The  Boa-constrictor. — The  enormous  boa-constrictor  in- 


COBRA  DE  CA BELLO. 


189 


habits  tropical  America.  It  is  not  venomous,  but  it  is  not  the  less 
dangerous,  as  the  tremendous  power  of  its  muscles  enables  it  to 
crush  its  prey  in  the  coils  of  its  huge  body. 

In  order  to  procure  its  food,  the  boa-constrictor  lies  in  wait 
by  the  side  of  some  river  or  pool,  where  animals  of  all  kinds  are 
likely  to  come  and  quench  their  thirst.  It  patiently  waits  until 
some  animal  draws  within  reach,  when,  with  one  spring,  the  boa 
fixes  its  teeth  in  the  creature’s  head,  coils  its  body  round  its  victim, 
and  crushes  it  to  death.  After  the  unfortunate  animal  has  been 
reduced  almost  to  a shapeless  mass  by  the  pressure  of  the  snake, 
its  destroyer  makes  preparations  for  swallowing  it  entire,  a task 
which  it  accomplishes,  although  the  slaughtered  animal  is  usually 
very  much  larger  than  the  dimensions  of  the  serpent.  At  last  the 
snake  succeeds  in  swallowing  its  prey,  and  then  lies  torpid  for 
nearly  a month,  until  its  enormous  meal  is  digested,  when  it  again 
sallies  forth  in  search  of  another.  Even  the  buffalo  has  been  known 
to  fall  a victim  to  this  fearful  serpent,  whose  length  frequently  ex- 
ceeds twenty-five  feet. 

The  Cobra  de  Capello  is  a native  of  India.  The  serpent- 
charmers  invariably  use  this  formidable  reptile  for  their  perform- 
ances. The  exhibitors  possess  several  cobras  shut  up  in  baskets, 
and  when  commencing  their  performances,  the  lid  of  the  basket 
is  opened,  and  the  snake  creeps  out.  Its  course  is  arrested  by  the 
sound  of  the  rude  fife  that  the  charmer  always  carries,  and  it  imme- 
diately expands  its  beautiful  though  threatening  hood,  erects  its 
neck,  and  commences  a series  of  undulating  movements,  which  are 
continued  until  the  sound  of  the  fife  ceases,  when  the  snake  in- 
stantly drops,  and  is  replaced  in  its  basket  by  its  master. 

The  charmers  appear  to  be  able  to  discover  snakes,  and  to 
induce  them  to  leave  their  retreat.  Indeed  it  is  rather  a singular 
fact  that  those  ti sellers  who  most  strongly  insist  that  the  snakes 


1 9o  RINGED,  OR  GRASS  SNA KE — T OR  T OISE. 

thus  caught  are  tame  and  divested  of  their  fangs,  appear  to  forget 
that  even  in  that  case  the  creatures  must  have  been  previously- 
caught  in  order  to  deprive  them  of  their  weapons.  The  length  of 
this  snake  is  about  five  or  six  feet. 

The  Common  Ringed  or  Grass  Snake  is  a harmless  inhabitant 
of  this  country,  and  may  frequently  be  seen  or  heard  gliding  along 
the  hedge-banks  in  search  of  food.  It  is  easily  tamed,  and  soon 
learns  to  know  its  master.  It  lives  principally  on  frogs,  mice, 
young  birds,  newts,  etc.  It  is  an  excellent  swimmer,  and  from  the 
peculiar  construction  of  its  lungs,  can  remain  under  water  for  some 
time. 

Like  all  other  serpents,  the  ringed  snake  sheds  its  skin  several 
times  during  the  year.  The  entire  skin  comes  off,  even  the  cover- 
ing of  the  eyes.  A rent  opens  in  the  neck,  and  the  snake, 
entangling  itself  in  the  thick  grass  or  bushes,  actually  creeps  out  of 
its  skin,  turning  it  inside  out  in  the  effort. 

The  Tortoise. — The  whole  of  this  order  is  characterized  by 
the  complete  suit  of  bony  armor  with  which  the  animals  are  pro- 
tected. The  so-called  * 4 shell  ” is  in  fact  a development  of  various 
bones,  and  not  a mere  horny  appendage,  like  the  coverings  of  the 
armadillo  and  manis. 

The  upper  shield  is  called  the  “carapace,”  and  is  united  to 
the  under  shield  or  “plastron”  by  certain  bones,  leaving  orifices 
for  the  protrusion  of  the  head  and  limbs.  Most  species  are  able  to 
withdraw  their  head  and  limbs  completely  within  the  shell,  and  in 
some  few  the  orifices  are  closed  by  a kind  of  hinge  joint.  The 
tortoise-shell  of  commerce  is  a series  of  horny  plates  that  cover  the 
exterior  of  the  shield,  and  is  in  great  request,  on  account  of  the 
beautiful  wavy  markings  that  are  so  familiar  to  our  eyes. 

The  tortoises  and  turtles  possess  no  teeth,  but  the  sides  of  their 
jaws  are  very  hard  and  sharp,  enabling  them  to  crop  vegetable 


COMMON  LAND  TORTOISE. 


191 

substances,  or  to  inflict  a severe  bite.  The  family  is  divided  into 
Land  Tortoises,  Marsh  Tortoises,  River  Tortoises,  and  Marine 
Tortoises,  or  Turtles. 

The  Common  Land  Tortoise  is  found  in  abundance  in  the 
south  of  Europe.  It  is  often  kept  in  captivity  in  this  country,  and 
is  very  long-lived,  individuals  being  known  to  have  exceeded  two 
hundred  years.  Its  movements  are  very  slow,  but  it  can  excavate 
a burrow  with  unexpected  rapidity.  Secure  in  an  impenetrable 
covering  it  bids  defiance  to  any  ordinary  enemy,  except  man  and 
the  boa-constrictor.  Man,  however,  takes  him  home  and  roasts 
him,  and  the  boa-constrictor  swallows  him  whole,  shell  and  all,  and 
consumes  him  slowly  in  the  interior. 

I had  a common  land  tortoise  for  a few  months,  part  of  whose 
life  is  described  in  the  following  passage : Some  time  since,  a man 
arrived  in  town,  bringing  with  him  tortoises  for  sale.  They  passed 
their  existence  in  a basket,  where  they  were  packed  close,  like  so 
many  bricks,  standing  on  their  tails,  and  their  heads  looking  out  of 
the  basket.  When  I purchased  one  of  them,  the  man  emptied  out 
his  whole  basketful  upon  the  table,  and  then  turned  out  the  con- 
tents of  four  large  pockets,  until  a large  table  was  entirely  covered 
with  them. 

The  tortoise  which  I purchased  was  a very  small  one,  and  was 
tolerably  lively,  walking  about  the  room,  and  always  settling  on  the 
hearth-rug.  It  had  a great  genius  for  climbing,  and  would  some- 
times spend  nearly  an  hour  in  endeavoring  to  scale  the  fender, 
probably  attracted  by  the  heat.  Unfit  as  the  form  of  the  creature 
may  seem  for  such  a purpose,  it  did  contrive  to  scramble  upon  a 
footstool  which  was  placed  by  the  fender. 

Its  method  of  attaining  this  elevation  was  as  follows : First  it 
reared  up  against  the  footstool  in  the  angle  formed  by  it  and  the 
fender,  and  after  several  ineffectual  attempts,  succeeded  in  hitching 


92 


COMMON  LAND  TORTOISE . 


the  claws  of  one  of  its  hind  feet  into  the  open  work  of  the  fender. 
On  this  it  raised  itself,  and  held  on  to  the  top  of  the  stool  by  its 
fore  feet,  while  it  gained  another  step  on  the  fender,  and  so  man- 
aged to  raise  itself  to  such  a height,  that  it  only  had  to  fall  flat  on 
the  top  of  the  footstool.  When  once  there,  it  could  hardly  be 
induced  to  leave  the  elevation  which  it  had  gained  with  such 
difficulty. 


THE  GREEN  TURTLE- 


Its  food  consisted  of  bread  and  milk,  which  it  ate  several 
times  a day,  drinking  the  milk  by  scooping  up  some  of  it  in  its 
lower  jaw,  and  then,  by  throwing  its  head  back,  the  milk  ran  down 
its  throat.  Tortoises  are  generally  long-lived,  but  this  animal  died 
within  a few  months  after  it  came  into  my  possession,  in  all  prob- 
ability because,  for  some  days,  its  food  was  placed  in  a brass  vessel. 
Several  days  before  its  death  it  was  very  restless,  and  went  about 


COMMON  GREEN  TURTLE— CROCODILE. 


193 


the  room  mewing  like  a young  kitten,  and  made  such  a noise  that 
it  had  to  be  ejected  during  working  hours.  I could  not  for  some 
time  believe  that  the  mewing  could  proceed  from  the  tortoise,  as 
the  resemblance  to  that  of  a kitten  was  most  exact. 

The  Common  Green  Turtle. — The  feet  of  the  marine 
tortoises,  or  turtles,  are  modified  into  fins  or  flippers,  just  as  are  the 
feet  of  the  seals,  and  consequently,  although  the  turtles  are  active 
in  the  water,  on  land  their  walk  is  nothing  but  an  awkward  shuffle. 
The  flippers,  however,  are  admirable  instruments  for  scooping  out 
the  sand,  in  which  the  eggs  are  laid,  and  afterward  covered  over. 
Nearly  two  hundred  eggs  are  laid  in  one  nest.  The  eggs  are  held 
in  great  estimation,  but  the  albumen,  or  “ white,”  does  not  become 
hard  by  boiling. 

The  green  turtle,  which  is  named  from  its  green  fat,  from 
which  turtle  soup  is  made,  is  common  in  Jamaica,  and  most  of  the 
islands  of  the  East  and  West  Indies.  The  turtles  are  captured  by 
turning  them  on  their  backs ; for  the  carapace  is  so  flat,  and  their 
legs  are  so  short,  that  they  are  forced  to  lie  helpless  until  their 
captors  have  leisure  to  drag  them  away.  The  green  turtle  has  been 
known  to  reach  the  weight  of  five  or  six  hundred  pounds.  The 
tortoise-shell  of  commerce  is  almost  entirely  obtained  from  the 
hawksbill  turtle. 

The  Crocodile. — These  animals  are  separated  from  the 
lizards  on  account  of  the  peculiar  horny  covering  with  which  they 
are  protected. 

The  crocodile  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Old  World,  the  alligator 
of  the  New,  and  the  two  animals  are  best  distinguished  by  the  con- 
struction of  the  jaws.  In  the  crocodiles  the  lower  canine  teeth  fit 
into  a notch  in  the  edge  of  the  upper  jaw,  and  there  is  in  conse- 
quence a contraction  of  the  muzzle  just  behind  the  nostrils.  The 
13 


194 


CROCODILE . 


lower  canine  teeth  of  the  alligators  fit  into  a pit  in  the  edge  of  the 
upper  jaw,  and  in  consequence  no  contraction  is  needed. 

At  the  back  of  the  throat  is  a valve  completely  shutting  out 
water,  but  leaving  the  passage  to  the  nostrils  free,  so  that  the 
crocodile  can  keep  his  mouth  open  when  beneath  the  surface,  with- 
out swallowing  the  water,  or  can  hold  his  prey  to  drown  under  the 


THE  G A VIAL,  OR  GANGETlC  CROCODILE. 


water,  while  he  breathes  at  ease  with  his  nostrils  at  the  surface. 
There  is  no  true  tongue. 

The  common  crocodile  inhabits  many  African  rivers,  and  is, 
probably,  the  reptile  infesting  the  Ganges.  The  Nile,  however,  is 
the  best  known  haunt  of  this  terrible  creature. 

The  crocodile  feeds  on  fish,  floating  carrion,  and  dogs,  or 
other  animals,  which  it  is  enabled  to  surprise  as  they  come  to  drink 
at  the  water’s  edge,  but  man  frequently  falls  a victim  to  its 


ALLIGATOR , OR  CAYMAN. 


l9S 


voracity.  In  revenge  for  this  treatment,  all  nations  persecuted 
with  this  pest  have  devised  various  methods  of  killing  it. 

The  negroes  of  some  parts  of  Africa  are  sufficiently  bold  and 
skilful  to  attack  the  crocodile  in  his  own  element.  They  fear- 
lessly plunge  into  the  water,  and  diving  beneath  the  crocodile, 
plunge  the  dagger  with  which  they  are  armed  into  the  creature’s 
belly,  which  is  not  protected  by  the  coat  of  mail  that  guards  the 
other  parts  of  its  body. 

The  usual  plan  is  to  lie  in  wait  near  the  spot  where  the  croco- 
dile is  accustomed  to  repose.  This  is  usually  a sandy  bank,  and 
the  hunter  digs  a hole  in  the  sand,  and  armed  with  a sharp  har- 
poon, patiently  awaits  the  coming  of  his  expected  prey.  The 
crocodile  comes  to  its  accustomed  spot,  and  is  soon  asleep,  when  it 
is  suddenly  roused  by  the  harpoon,  which  penetrates  completely 
through  its  scaly  covering.  The  hunter  immediately  retreats  to  a 
canoe,  and  hauls  at  the  line  attached  to  the  harpoon  until  he  drags 
the  crocodile  to  the  surface,  when  he  darts  a second  harpoon.  The 
struggling  animal  is  soon  wearied  out,  dragged  to  shore,  and  dis- 
patched by  dividing  the  spinal  cord.  In  order  to  prevent  the 
infuriated  reptile  from  biting  the  cord  asunder,  it  is  composed  of 
ahout  thirty  small  lines,  not  twisted,  but  only  bound  together  at 
intervals  of  two  feet. 

When  on  land  it  is  not  difficult  to  escape  the  crocodile,  as  cer- 
tain projections  on  the  vertebrae  of  the  neck  prevent  it  from  turning 
its  head  to  any  great  extent.  The  eggs  of  this  creature  are  very 
small,  hardly  exceeding  those  of  a goose ; numbers  are  annually 
destroyed  by  birds  of  prey  and  quadrupeds,  especially  the  ichneumon. 

The  Alligator  or  Cayman,  is  an  inhabitant  of  America,  and 
is  unpleasantly  common  in  the  rivers  of  our  Southern  States.  It 
pursues  fish  with  exceeding  dexterity,  by  driving  a shoal  of  them 
into  a creek,  and  then  plunging  amid  the  terrified  mass,  and  de- 


196 


FROG. 


vouring  its  victims  at  its  pleasure.  It  also  catches  pigs,  dogs,  and 
other  animals  that  venture  too  close  to  the  river.  In  that  case,  as 
the  animal  is  too  large  to  be  swallowed  entire,  the  alligator  conceals 
it  in  some  hole  in  the  bank  until  it  begins  to  putrefy,  when  it  is 
dragged  out,  and  devoured  under  the  concealment  of  the  rank 
herbage  fringing  the  river. 

The  usual  method  of  taking  this  creature  is  by  baiting  a most 
formidable  four-pointed  hook,  composed  of  wooden  spikes,  artis- 
tically arranged,  and  suffering  it  to  float  in  the  river.  When  an 
alligator  has  swallowed  it,  he  is  hauled  on  shore  by  the  rope,  and 
slaughtered. 

Like  the  crocodile,  the  alligator  lays  its  eggs  in  the  sandy  bank 
of  the  river.  Fortunately,  but  few  of  the  young  ever  reach  ma- 
turity, as  their  ranks  are  thinned  by  various  birds  and  beasts  of  prey 
before  the  eggs  are  hatched,  and  by  the  attacks  of  large  fishes,  and 
even  their  own  species,  when  they  have  reached  the  water. 

The  Frog. — The  appearance  and  habits  of  the  frog  and  the 
toad  are  so  familiar  as  to  require  but  little  description.  A short 
account,  however,  is  necessary  of  the  peculiarities  common  to  both 
frogs  and  toads. 

In  the  early  stage  of  their  existence,  these  animals  are  termed 
tadpoles.  They  at  first  appear  to  be  nothing  but  head  and  tail,  but 
after  several  days  have  passed,  four  legs  are  observed  to  become 
developed.  These  rapidly  increase,  and  the  little  creature  closely 
resembles  a small  eft.  In  due  time,  however,  the  tail  is  lost,  and 
the  creature  becomes  a perfect  frog. 

Another  important  change  also  takes  place.  In  its  tadpole 
state  the  creature  was  essentially  a water  animal,  but  after  its  change 
has  taken  place  it  is  notable  to  exist  under  water  for  any  great 
length  of  time,  and  is  forced  to  come  to  the  surface  to  breathe. 

The  tongue  of  the  frog  is  curiously  fixed  almost  at  the  entrance 


FROG. 


97 


of  the  mouth,  and  when  at  rest  points  backward  down  the  throat. 
When,  however,  the  frog  comes  within  reach  of  a slug  or  insect,  the 
tongue  is  darted  out  with  exceeding  rapidity,  the  slug  secured,  car 
ried  to  the  back  of  the  throat,  and  swallowed. 

Both  frogs  and  toads  hibernate,  the  former  congregating  in 
multitudes  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  ponds  and  marshes,  while 
the  latter  choose  a hole  in  the  ground,  frequently  at  a root  of  a tree, 
and  pass  the  winter  in  solitary  dignity.  In  February,  two  frogs 
were  dug  out  of  the  gravelled  play-ground  of  Magdalen  School. 
They  were  about  a foot  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  their 
habitation  was  quite  smooth.  Both  were  sitting  with  their  mouths 
pointed  upward,  but  I could  not  ascertain  if  there  had  been  any 
communication  with  the  open  air.  The  skin  of  these  animals  has  a 
property  of  imbibing  water,  so  that  if  an  apparently  emaciated  frog 
is  placed  in  a damp  place,  it  will  soon  look  quite  plump. 

The  Common  Frog  is  a well-known  frequenter  of  marshy  places 
and  the  banks  of  rivers.  It  is  an  admirable  swimmer,  and  from  the 
peculiar  construction  of  its  lungs  can  remain  for  some  time  under 
water,  but  is  forced  periodically  to  come  to  the  surface  for  the  pur- 
pose of  breathing. 

The  Bull-Frog  is  an  inhabitant  of  North  America.  It  is  very 
voracious,  feeding  upon  fishes,  mollusks,  and  even  young  fowl.  Its 
powers  for  leaping  are  so  great,  that  an  Indian  was  not  able  to 
overtake  an  irritated  bull-frog  after  it  had  sprung  three  hops  in 
advance.  It  is  very  large,  measuring  about  seven  inches  in  length. 

The  Tree  Frogs  are  very  peculiar  animals.  The  construction 
of  their  feet,  somewhat  resembling  that  of  the  geckos,  enables  them 
to  traverse  the  branches,  and  even  to  hang  on  the  under  surface  of 
the  pendent  leaf,  which  it  so  resembles  in  color  that  the  unwary  in- 
sect passes  by  and  is  instantly  seized  by  the  watchful  frog.  The 
Green  Tree  Frog  is  the  most  common,  and  is  plentifully  found  in 


198 


TOAD— NEWT. 


southern  Europe  and  northern  Africa.  There  are  several  specimens 
in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  which  present  a most  absurd  appear- 
ance as  they  stick  against  the  pane  of  glass  forming  the  front  of 
their  cage. 

The  Common  Toad  has  had  its  full  share  of  marvellous  tales. 
Its  poisonous  properties  are  celebrated  in  many  an  ancient  chronicle, 
as  are  also  the  virtues  of  the  jewel  contained  in  its  head.  The  skin 
certainly  does  secrete  an  acrid  humor,  which  at  all  events  defends 
it  from  dogs,  who  can  seldom  be  induced  to  bite  a toad  a second 
time. 

The  well-known  instances  of  imprisoned  toads,  who  must  have 
spent  many  years  in  their  narrow  habitation,  are  apparently  ex- 
plained by  the  supposition  that  some  aperture  or  fissure  existed, 
through  which  air  and  minute  insects  could  pass,  sufficient  for  their 
nourishment  while  in  a semi-torpid  condition.  Certainly  those  ex- 
perimented on  by  Dr.  Buckland  in  1865,  and  from  whom  all  air 
was  cut  off,  died  before  a year’s  imprisonment.  The  toad  casts  its 
skin  at  certain  times,  but  we  never  find  the  slough  as  we  do  that  of 
the  snake,  as  the  toad  invariably  swallows  its  former  covering. 

The  Newts  are  separated  from  the  lizards  on  account  of  their 
changes  while  young.  Like  the  frogs,  they  are  first  tadpoles,  and 
do  not  assume  their  perfect  shape  until  six  weeks  after  their  exclusion 
from  the  eggs. 

The  Common  Newt  is  a beautiful  inhabitant  of  the  ponds, 
ditches,  and  still  waters.  It  feeds  principally  on  tadpoles  and 
worms,  which  it  eats  with  a peculiar  rapid  snap.  I have  seen 

it  attack  the  smaller  newt  with  great  perseverence,  but  I was  never 
fortunate  enough  to  see  it  kill  its  prey. 

I kept  some  newts  for  some  time  in  a large  glass  vessel,  and 
noticed  that  when  a new  inhabitant  was  added,  it  always  cast  its 
skin  within  two  or  three  days.  The  skin  came  off  in  pieces,  the 


PROTEUS. 


199 


covering  of  the  feet  slipping  off  like  a glove  ; but  I could  never  see 
how  the  creature  contrived  to  pull  these  glove-like  relics  off.  It  is 
constantly  in  the  habit  of  rising  to  the  surface  of  the  water  in  order 
to  breathe. 

The  newt  has  received  the  name  of  Christatus,  or  crested,  on 
account  of  the  beautiful  crimson -tipped  wavy  crest  of  loose  skin 
that  extends  along  the  whole  course  of  the  back  and  tail,  and  which, 


the  TOAD. 

together  with  a rich  orange-colored  belly,  makes  it  a most  beautiful 
creature.  The  female  has  a singular  habit  of  laying  her  eggs  upon 
long  leaves  of  water-plants,  and  actually  tying  them  in  the  leaf  by  a 
regular  knot. 

The  Proteus  is  an  extraordinary  animal,  which  has  been  found 
in  dark  subterranean  lakes,  many  hundred  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  where  no  rays  of  light  can  possibly  enter.  The  eyes  of  this 
singular  creature  are  mere  points  covered  with  skin,  and  useless  for 


200 


FISHES. 


vision ; indeed,  when  in  captivity  it  always  chooses  the  darkest 
parts  of  the  vessel  in  which  it  is  confined. 

I have  seen  seven  specimens  of  this  strange  creature  which 
have  lived  for  several  years  in  a glass  vessel  covered  with  green 
baize  in  order  to  keep  them  in  the  dark.  They  have  not  been 
known  to  take  any  nourishment  whatever  during  the  time  of  their 
captivity,  except  the  very  trifling  amount  of  nutrition  that  might 
have  been  obtained  by  changing  the  water. 

The  proteus  breathes  in  two  ways — by  lungs  and  by  gills,  the 
latter  organs  appearing  in  the  form  of  two  tufts,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  neck,  just  above  the  fore  limbs.  The  circulation  of  the 
blood  in  these  branchial  tufts  can  easily  be  seen  with  a microscope 
of  moderate  power.  These  tufts  are  of  a rather  deeper  pink  tinge 
than  the  remainder  of  the  body,  which  is  of  a very  pale  flesh- 
color.  Exposure  to  light  darkens  the  tints  both  of  gills  and  body. 

The  blood-disks  of  this  animal  are  exceedingly  large;  so 
large,  indeed,  as  almost  to  be  distinguished  by  the  naked  eye. 
When  in  captivity,  its  movements  are  slow  and  eel-like,  nor  does  it 
seem  to  make  much  use  of  its  almost  rudimentary  limbs. 

It  has  usually  been  found  on  the  soft  mud  of  a small  lake  in 
the  grotto  of  Maddalena.  They  have  also  been  found  at  Sittich, 
thirty  miles  distant,  thrown  up  from  a subterranean  cavity. 

FISHES. 

As  the  Fishes  live  exclusively  in  the  water,  it  is  necessary  that 
their  organs  of  respiration  should  be  differently  formed  from  those 
of  the  animals  breathing  atmospheric  air.  Instead  of  the  purifica- 
tion of  the  blood  being  accomplished  by  the  contact  of  atmospheric 
air  in  the  apparatus  called  lungs,  that  office  is  performed  by  the 
water,  which  passes  into  the  mouth  of  the  fish,  and  thence  out  at 


FISHES. 


201 


the  gillcovers,  on  its  way  being  strained  through  the  singular  struc- 
ture called  the  “ gills.”  These  gills  are  able  to  extract  from  the 
water  sufficient  oxygen  to  purify  the  blood  of  the  fish.  If  the 
oxygen  has  already  been  extracted,  the  fish  instantly  dies.  The 
same  effect  is  produced  if  the  fish  be  so  held  as  to  prevent  the 
water  from  flowing  in  the  proper  direction,  so  that  it  is  perfectly 
proper  to  drown  a fish.  Most  anglers  are  perfectly  aware  of  the 
power  obtained  by  keeping  the  head  of  a hooked  fish  down  the 
stream. 

The  elongated  form  of  fishes,  and  their  smooth  covering,  af- 
fording but  little  resistance  to  the  water,  beautifully  show  their  per- 
fect adaptation  for  the  element  in  which  they  reside.  Their  rapid 
movements  through  the  water  are  principally  performed  by  means 
of  a lateral  vibration  of  the  tail,  just  as  a boat  is  sculled  along  by  a 
single  oar  at  the  stern,  or  by  a constant  vibration  of  the  rudder. 
The  dead  and  mangled  carcass  of  a flensed  whale  has  been  fre- 
quently known  to  swim  for  a considerable  distance  by  the  mere 
force  of  the  muscular  movements  of  the  tail  after  death.  The  fins 
serve  principally  as  balancers. 

Most  fish  possess  a singular  organ  called  the  “swimming- 
bladder.  ’ ’ This  is  a membraneous  pouch,  varying  exceedingly  in 
size  and  shape,  situated  close  under  the  spine,  and  filled  by  some 
means  with  gas,  mostly  found  to  be  nitrogen,  but  in  deep-sea 
fishes,  an  oxygen  is  discovered  to  exist.  The  fish  seems  to  be  able 
to  rise  or  sink  by  means  of  compressing  or  expanding  this  pouch, 
without  being  forced  to  make  use  of  its  tail  or  fins. 

Fishes  are  vastly  more  numerous  than  all  the  other  vertebrates 
put  together.  Some  are  fitted  to  live  in  salt  water  only,  some  in 
fresh  water  only,  while  others  live  in  both.  Some  live  in  one  place 
and  some  wander  from  place  to  place  in  great  bodies  called  schools. 
Those  which  inhabit  shallow  waters  are  of  the  brightest  colors,  due 


202 


RED  GURNARD— COMMON  PERCH. 

mostly  to  the  light,  while  those  which  live  in  deep  water,  where 
much  light  does  not  reach,  are  generally  dull  in  color. 

Most  of  the  common  fishes  are  told  about  under  their  own 
names,  but  there  are  a great  many  very  singular  fishes  in  the  sea 
which  we  have  not  room  to  describe.  For  instance,  in  Central 
America  is  a fish  called  the  dora  or  hassar,  which  leaves  its  pond 
when  the  water  dries  up  and  marches  overland  in  large  droves 
in  search  of  more  water,  moving  along  by  little  leaps ; and  in 
Malabar  is  a small  fish  called  the  sennal  which  climbs  up  the  trunks 
of  palm  trees  growing  near  the  water’s  edge.  The  archer-fish  of 
Japan  lives  on  insects  which  it  shoots  with  a drop  of  water  blown 
from  its  long  snout. 

The  smooth  scaly  covering  with  which  most  fish  are  furnished 
is  admirably  fitted  both  for  defence  against  the  water,  and  for 
enabling  the  fish  to  glide  easily  through  places  where  a rough  cov- 
ering would  have  held  it  prisoner.  Many  valuable  characteristics 
are  derived  from  the  shape  of  the  scales  in  different  fish. 

The  Red  Gurnard,  or  Cuckoo  Gurnard,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called  from  the  sound  it  utters  when  taken  out  of  the  water,  is  very 
common  on  the  English  coast.  It  is  rather  a small  fish,  rarely 
exceeding  fourteen  inches  in  length.  The  colors  of  its  body  when 
living  are  very  beautiful,  the  upper  part  being  bright  red,  and  the 
under  parts  silvery  white. 

The  Common  Perch  is  well  known  to  anglers  both  as  a “ bold 
biting  fish,”  and  as  one  that  does  not  yield  up  its  life  without 
endangering  the  person  of  its  captor ; for  the  formidable  row  of 
spinous  rays  belonging  to  the  first  dorsal  fin  have  wounded  the 
hands  of  many  an  incautious  angler. 

It  K extremely  voracious,  so  much  so  that  after  all  the  legiti- 
mate bait  has  been  exhausted,  it  is  a common  practice  for  the 
fisherman  to  place  on  his  hook  the  eyes  of  the  perch  already  taken, 
which  are  as  eagerly  bitten  at  as  the  worms  were  formerly.  An 
anecdote  is  related  of  a gentleman  who  struck  at  a perch,  but 


MACKEREL. 


203 


unfortunately  missed  it,  the  hook  tearing  out  the  eye  of  the  poor 
creature.  He  adjusted  the  eye  on  the  hook,  and  replaced  the  line 
in  the  water,  where  it  had  hardly  been  a few  minutes  before  the 
float  was  violently  jerked  under  the  surface.  The  angler  of  course 
struck,  and  found  he  had  captured  a fine  perch.  This  when  landed 
was  discovered  to  be  the  very  fish  which  had  just  been  mutilated, 
and  which  had  actually  lost  its  life  by  devouring  its  own  eye.  It  is 
quaintly  observed  by  Izaak  Walton,  that  “if  there  be  twenty  or 


the  perch. 

forty  in  a hole,  they  may  be  at  one  standing  all  caught  one  after 
another,  they  being  like  the  wicked  of  the  world,  not  afraid  though 
their  fellows  and  companions  perish  in  their  sight.”  The  perch 
seldom  exceeds  two  pounds  and  a half  in  weight,  and  a perch 
weighing  a pound  and  a half  is  considered  a very  fine  fish. 

The  Mackerel. — The  elegant  shape  and  resplendent  colors  of 
the  mackerel  point  it  out  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  fishes  known. 
Nor  is  it  only  valuable  for  its  beauty,  as  it  is  highly  prized  as  an 
article  of  food  in  most  parts  of  the  world. 


204 


TUNNY— S WORD-FISH. 


Vast  shoals  of  mackerel  visit  our  coasts,  and  myriads  are  taken 
by  fishermen  both  by  nets  and  with  lines.  The  line  of  nets  fre- 
quently exceeds  a mile  in  extent,  and  of  course  the  number  of  fish 
contained  in  this  enormous  net  must  be  beyond  all  calculation.  On 
several  occasions,  the  meshes  of  the  net  were  completely  choked  up 
by  fish  hanging  by  their  gills,  and  the  net  acted  like  a dredge, 
sweeping  up  myriads  more  fish  in  a solid  mass.  In  1808,  the  whole 
net  and  its  cargo  sunk  and  were  lost  to  the  too  successful  fishermen. 

The  Tunny  is  a rather  large  fish,  averaging  four  feet  in  length, 
and  is  very  common  in  the  Mediterranean.  Large  fisheries  are 
established  during  May  and  June,  at  which  season  immense  shoals 
of  these  fish  rove  along  the  coast. 

The  Sword-Fish. — The  well-known  sword-fish  inhabits  every 
part  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  has  several  times  been  seen  near 
other  shores. 

The  ‘ ‘ sword  ’ ’ for  which  this  fish  is  so  famous  is  an  elongation 
of  the  upper  jaw,  of  great  strength,  and  capable  of  doing  consider- 
able injury  to  any  object  against  which  it  directs  its  attacks.  In 
the  British  Museum  is  a portion  of  the  bottom  of  a ship,  pierced 
completely  through  by  the  “ sword  ” of  one  of  these  fish.  Its  un- 
fortunate owner  must  have  instantly  perished  by  the  shock,  for  the 
sword  was  imbedded  almost  to  its  base,  and  broken  short  off.  In 
one  instance,  a sword-fish  attacked  a whaling-ship,  and  drove  its 
weapon  “through  the  copper  sheathing,  an  inch-board  sheathing, 
a three-inch  plank  of  hard  wood,  the  solid  white  oak  timber  of  the 
ship  twelve  inches  thick,  through  another  two-and-a-half  inch  hard 
oak  ceiling  plank,  and  lastly  perforated  the  head  of  an  oil-cask, 
where  it  still  remained  immovably  fixed,  so  that  not  a single  drop 
of  oil  escaped.” 

In  the  Mediterranean,  the  fishermen  eagerly  chase  the  sword- 
fish. The  harpoon  and  line  are  used,  much  in  the  same  manner  as 


REMORA,  OR  SUCKING-FISH. 


205 


in  the  whale  fishery.  The  Sicilian  fishermen  have  a strange  super- 
stition that  if  the  sword-fish  were  to  hear  a word  of  Italian,  it  would 
instantly  dive  and  escape  them.  They  therefore  restrict  their  vocal 
sounds  to  an  unintelligible  chant.  It  is  said  that  the  whale  is  an 
object  of  particular  enmity  to  the  sword-fish,  and  that  ships  are 
struck  by  it,  being  mistaken  for  whales.  The  length  of  the  fish  is 


THE  SWORD-FISH. 


usually  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet.  It  is  said  to  feed  principally  on 
tunnies,  pursuing  the  shoals,  and  transfixing  the  fish  with  its  sword. 

The  Remora,  or  Sucking-fish,  is  remarkable  for  the  peculiar 
apparatus  situated  on  the  upper  part  of  its  head.  By  this  it  can 
adhere  to  any  object  so  firmly  that  it  is  a difficult  matter  to  make  it 
loose  its  hold.  It  is  often  found  adhering  to  large  fish  or  to  the 
bottoms  of  ships,  probably  in  both  instances  for  the  sake  of  the 


206 


STICKLES  A CK— ANGLER. 


fragments  of  food  rejected  by  the  one  or  thrown  overboard  from 
the  other. 

The  older  writers  on  Natural  History  fully  believed  that  one 
remora  had  the  power  of  arresting  the  largest  ship  in  its  course, 
and  fixing  it  firmly  in  the  same  spot,  in  spite  of  spread  canvas  and 
swift  gale.  As  the  remora  is  about  the  same  size  as  a herring,  our 
ancestors  naturally  considered  this  a very  curious  circumstance,  and 
wrote  no  few  poems  on  the  subject. 

The  Stickleback. — There  are  six  species  of  sticklebacks 
known,  the  habits  of  all  being  very  similar.  They  are  most  pug- 
nacious little  creatures,  and  will  fight  on  the  smallest  provocation, 
dashing  at  each  other  and  endeavoring  to  tear  open  their  adver- 
sary’s side  with  the  sharp  spikes  that  adorn  their  sides.  The  bril- 
liant colors  with  which  they  are  decorated  only  belong  to  the 
males,  and  not  to  them  if  they  have  been  vanquished.  In  such  a 
case,  the  conqueror  looks  more  brilliant  than  before,  and  sails 
about  with  as  much  dignity  as  can  be  assumed  by  an  animal  an 
inch  and  a half  in  length.  The  unfortunate  individual  who  has 
been  defeated  sneaks  off  into  some  corner,  and  soon  loses  his  beau- 
tiful coloring,  his  crimson,  green,  and  gold  panoply  changing  into 
a very  dull  matter-of-fact  gray. 

The  Angler,  or  Fishing  Frog,  as  it  is  more  generally  called, 
is  not  uncommon  in  all  the  European  seas.  The  peculiar  forma- 
tion of  its  pectoral  fins  enables  it  to  crawl  for  some  distance  on 
land. 

On  its  head  are  two  elongated  appendages,  curiously  articu- 
lated to  the  skull  by  a joint  formed  something  like  the  links  of  a 
chain,  and  capable  of  movement  in  any  direction.  The  angler 
crouches  close  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  by  the  movement  of 
its  pectoral  fins  stirs  up  the  sand  and  mud,  and  agitates  the  bony 
appendages  amid  the  turbid  cloud  produced.  The  small  fishes, 


CARP— SEA-HORSE. 


20  7 


observing  the  muddy  water  and  taking  the  filaments  for  worms, 
approach  to  seize  them,  and  are  instantly  engulfed  in  the  capacious 
jaws  of  the  crafty  angler.  The  voracity  of  the  angler  is  so  great 
that,  when  caught  in  a net  together  with  other  fish,  it  generally 
devours  some  of  its  fellow-prisoners — a useless  act,  for  the  fisher- 
men mostly  open  its  stomach,  and  recapture  the  flounders  and 
other  fish  found  in  its  interior. 

The  Common  Carp  is  a well-known  inhabitant  of  our  ponds, 
lakes,  and  sluggish  rivers.  It  is  a very  shy  and  wary  fish,  rejecting 
one  day  a bait  which  had  been  freely  taken  the  day  previous. 
While  fishing  in  a small  pond  I took  in  one  hour  six  or  seven  carp, 
weighing  from  half  a pound  to  nearly  three  pounds  each.  A few 
days  afterward,  although  the  weather  was  equally  propitious,  the 
carp  were  not,  and  the  whole  day  was  spent  without  even  a bite. 
It  lives  to  a great  age,  and  when  very  old  its  scales  turn  gray,  just 
as  human  hairs  do.  In  several  places  in  France  numbers  of  carp 
were  kept  until  they  attained  an  enormous  size.  These  great  slug- 
gish fish  were  accustomed  to  come  to  the  water’s  edge  in  order  to 
be  fed  at  the  call  of  their  keeper.  Feeding  the  carp  was  almost  a 
hereditary  amusement  of  the  later  kings  of  France. 

Very  few  fish  are  so  tenacious  of  life  as  the  carp.  It  is  the 
custom  in  Holland  to  keep  these  fish  in  nets  filled  with  wet  moss. 
They  are  fed  with  bread  and  milk,  and  are  preserved  in  health  by 
frequent  immersion  in  water,  in  order  to  keep  the  moss  thoroughly 
wet. 

The  Sea-Horse  is  common  in  many  European  seas.  The 
habits  of  this  fish  are  very  singular  and  interesting.  A pair  were 
kept  alive  for  some  time  in  a glass  vessel  and  exhibited  considerable 
activity  and  intelligence.  They  swam  about  with  an  undulating 
kind  of  movement,  and  frequently  twined  their  tails  round  the 
weeds  placed  in  their  prison.  Their  eyes  moved  independently  of 


208 


G UD  GEON—  TENCH. 


each  other,  like  those  of  the  chameleon,  and  the  changeable  tints  of 
the  head  closely  resemble  that  animal.  More  than  once,  these 
curious  fish  have  been  seen  curled  up  in  oyster  shells.  The  singular 
creatures  called  Pipe-fish  also  belong  to  the  same  order. 

The  Gudgeon. — This  pretty  little  fish  is  usually  found  in 
shallow  parts  of  rivers,  where  the  bottom  is  gravelly.  If  the  gravel 
is  stirred  up,  the  gudgeons  immediately  flock  to  the  place,  and  a 
worm  suspended  amid  the  turbid  water  is  eagerly  snapped  at  by 


THE  CARP. 

them.  Its  flesh  is  particularly  delicate,  and  although  its  length 
rarely  exceeds  seven  inches,  yet  from  the  ease  with  which  numbers 
can  be  obtained,  it  forms  a dish  by  no  means  to  be  despised. 

The  Tench. — The  habits  of  the  tench  are  not  unlike  those  of 
the  carp,  except  that  it  seems  even  more  sluggish  than  that  fish.  It 
especially  delights  in  muddy  banks  of  ponds,  where  the  weeds  grow 
thickly.  Roget  gives  an  account  of  a tench  that  had  been  taken 
out  of  a pond  almost  filled  with  stones  and  rubbish,  and  which  had 


ROA  CH—BLEA  K— MIN  NO  IV—LOA  CRT— PIKE. 


209 


actually  grown  into  the  shape  of  the  hole  where  it  had  been  con- 
fined, evidently  for  many  years.  The  weight  of  that  fish  was  eleven 
pounds  nine  ounces.  Four  hundred  tench  and  as  many  perch  were 
also  taken  out  of  the  same  pond.  This  fish  is  even  more  tenacious 
of  life  than  the  carp. 

The  Roach  is  very  common  in  most  rivers  of  this  country,  and 
is  generally  spread  over  the  temperate  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  by  no 
means  a large  fish,  rarely  exceeding  two  pounds  in  weight,  and 
seldom  attaining  even  that  size.  These  fish  usually  live  in  small 
shoals,  and  pass  from  one  part  of  the  river  to  another. 

The  roach  is  not  unlike  the  dace,  but  may  be  easily  distin- 
guished by  its  bright  red  ventral  fins,  those  of  the  dace  being  silvery 
white.  It  is  rather  a favorite  with  anglers,  as  it  bites  or  rather  nib- 
bles at  the  bait  in  such  a dainty  and  delicate  manner  that  the  disap- 
pointed fisherman  not  unfrequently  finds  the  bait  gone  without  the 
movement  of  his  float  betraying  the  theft. 

The  Bleak  and  the  Minnow  both  belong  to  the  genus 
Leuciscus.  The  former  fish  is  remarkable  for  the  use  made  of  its 
scales,  which  when  washed  in  water,  deposit  a powder  much  used  in 
the  manufacture  ot  artificial  pearls. 

In  some  countries  the  Loach  goes  by  the  name  of  “ Beardie,” 
in  allusion  to  the  little  fleshy  particles  that  hang  from  its  lips.  It 
has  also  the  name  of  groundling,  on  account  of  its  habit  of  living 
close  to  the  bottom  of  the  wTater.  It  is  a common  fish,  and  may 
be  taken  in  most  streams,  especially  if  the  bait  is  drawn  over  the 
bed  of  the  stream.  The  principal  peculiarity  about  the  fish  is  the 
comparatively  great  breadth  of  the  tail  where  it  joins  the  spine. 
This  formation,  together  with  the  generally  pellucid  appearance  of 
its  body,  at  once  distinguish  it  from  any  other  fish. 

The  Pike. — This  fierce  and  voracious  fish  is  now  common  in 
most  rivers  and  lakes,  although  it  was  formerly  so  rare  as  to  be  rated 
at  ten  times  the  value  of  turbot. 


14 


210 


FL  YING-FISH. 


The  appetite  of  this  fish  is  almost  insatiable.  Mr.  Jesse  threw 
to  one  pike  of  five  pounds’  weight  four  roach,  each  about  four 
inches  in  length,  which  it  devoured  instantly,  and  swallowed  a fifth 
within  a quarter  of  an  hour.  Moor-hens,  ducks,  and  even  swans 
have  been  known  to  fall  a prey  to  this  voracious  fish,  its  long  teeth 
effectually  keeping  them  prisoners  under  water  until  drowned. 


THE  FLYING-FISH. 

The  Flying-Fish. — This  fish,  so  celebrated  in  most  books  of 
voyages,  is  found  in  the  warmer  latitudes,  but  has  several  times  been 
seen  off  our  coasts.  The  so-called  “ flight  ” is  very  similar  to  that 
of  the  flying  squirrels  and  dragons,  the  fish  merely  springing  out  of 
the  water  with  a violent  impetus,  and  sustaining  itself  in  the  air  by 
means  of  its  enormous  pectoral  fins.  It  is  not  able  to  change  its 
course  while  in  the  air,  nor  to  rise  a second  time  without  repeating 


SALMON— COMMON  TROUT. 


21  I 


its  course  through  the  water.  The  reader  will  notice  the  remark- 
able fact  that  individuals  of  three  wingless  classes,  the  Mammalia, 
the  Reptiles,  and  the  Fishes,  have  each  the  power  of  sustaining 
themselves  in  the  air. 

The  “flight”  of  this  fish  seldom  exceeds  two  hundred  yards. 
The  unfortunate  creatures  are  pursued  in  the  water  by  “ dorados,” 
erroneously  called  dolphins,  an<J  other  fishes  of  prey.  To  escape 
their  finny  tyrants,  they  spring  into  the  air,  and  for  a while  escape. 
But  the  gulls  and  albatrosses  are  on  the  watch,  and  pounce  on  the 
flying-fish  from  above,  so  that  the  persecuted  creatures  are  tolerably 
sure  to  fall  a prey  to  one  or  the  other  of  their  foes.  The  size  of  the 
fish  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  a herring.  Its  food  is  mollusks  and 
small  fishes. 

The  Salmon  is  a migratory  fish,  annually  leaving  the  sea,  its 
proper  residence,  and  proceeding  for  many  miles  up  rivers,  for  the 
purpose  of  depositing  its  spawn.  This  duty  having  been  accom- 
plished, it  returns  to  the  sea  in  the  spring.  The  perseverance  of 
this  fish  in  working  its  way  up  the  stream  is  perfectly  wonderful. 
No  stream  is  rapid  enough  to  daunt  it,  nor  is  it  even  checked  by 
falls.  These  it  surmounts  by  springing  out  of  the  water,  fairly 
passing  over  the  fall.  Heights  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  feet  are  con- 
stantly leaped  by  this  powerful  fish,  and  when  it  has  arrived  at 
the  higher  and  shallower  parts  of  the  river,  it  scoops  furrows  in  the 
gravelly  bottom,  and  there  deposits  its  spawn.  The  young,  called 
“ fry,”  are  hatched  about  March,  and  immediately  commence  their 
retreat  to  the  sea.  By  the  end  of  May  the  young  salmon,  now 
called  “smolts,”  have  almost  entirely  deserted  the  rivers,  and  in 
June  not  one  is  to  be  found  in  fresh  water.  Small  salmon  weighing 
less  than  two  pounds  are  termed  “salmon  peel;  ” all  above  that 
weight  are  called  “ grilse.” 

The  Common  Trout  is  found  in  many  rivers  of  this  country, 
always  preferring  rapid,  shallow,  and  sparkling  streams,  especially 


212 


HERRING— PIL  CHARD. 


if  there  should  be  little  falls  at  intervals.  The  Derwent  and  the 
Dove  are  particularly  famous  for  their  trout.  The  latter  river  is 
quite  the  beau  ideal  of  a trout  stream.  It  never  seems  to  know  its  own 
mind  for  half  a mile  together.  Sometimes  it  is  rapid,  frisking  over 
stones,  and  round  trees,  and  throwing  up  the  sparkling  foam  in  all 
directions.  Presently  it  has  changed  into  a silent,  slow,  melan- 
choly river,  with  dark  pools  of  unknown  depth,  shaded  by  over- 
hanging trees,  and  suggestive  of  murders  successfully  concealed. 
Everywhere  are  the  trout.  Lying  quietly  under  the  shelter  of  some 
large  stone,  while  the  water  is  leaping  round  them,  are  the  moderate- 
sized trout,  darting  off  like  meteors  to  snatch  at  a passing  fly,  and 
as  quickly  returning  to  their  concealment.  In  the  deeper  pools  are 
the  larger  fish,  who  are  too  sagacious  to  be  deceived  by  the  artfully 
made  fly  of  the  professional  angler,  yet  often  fall  victims  to  the 
less  scientific  but  more  successful  ploughboy. 

The  usual  method  of  fishing  for  trout  is  with  a fly,  but  trolling 
with  a minnow  is  often  successfully  used,  nor  does  the  trout  reject  a 
well-selected  and  properly  arranged  worm.  The  brilliant  speckled 
tints  of  this  beautiful  fish  vary  much  according  to  the  locality  and 
the  time  of  year.  In  May  the  fish  assume  their  brightest  colors  and 
their  most  delicate  flavor.  The  size  of  the  fish  also  varies  exceed- 
ingly, being  from  half  a pound  in  weight  and  about  eight  inches  in 
length,  to  ten  or  fifteen  pounds’  weight.  The  smelt  belongs  to  this 
family,  and  in  its  progress  to  the  sea  is  destroyed  in  great  quantities 
in  mill-ponds,  etc. 

The  value  of  the  Herring  family  to  man  is  almost  incalculable. 
The  Pilchard  and  the  herring  are  very  similar  in  appearance,  but 
may  be  easily  known  by  the  position  of  the  dorsal  fin,  which  in  the 
pilchard  is  so  exactly  in  the  centre  of  the  body,  that  if  the  fish  is 
held  by  it,  the  body  exactly  balances ; while  in  the  herring,  the 
dorsal  fin  is  placed  rather  backward,  so  that  when  suspended  the  fish 
hangs  with  its  head  downward. 


THE  SALMON 


214 


SPRA  T—ANCHO  VY—FLA  T-FISH. 


The  herring  makes  its  annual  appearance  on  the  coasts  of 
America  about  June.  This  most  valuable  fish  arrives  in  enormous 
shoals,  five  or  six  miles  in  length,  and  three  or  four  in  breadth. 
Their  advent  is  heralded  by  various  sea-birds,  such  as  the  gannets 
and  gulls,  which  constantly  hover  over  the  shoals  and  commit  un- 
ceasing devastation  among  them.  Yet  in  spite  of  the  myriads  de- 
stroyed by  birds  and  fishes,  in  spite  of  the  shoals  captured  by  man, 
in  spite  of  the  vast  quantities  of  spawn  devoured  by  other  fishes, 
their  numbers  seem  quite  undiminished,  and  each  year  they  are  led 
by  the  instinct  inculcated  in  them  by  Providence,  to  visit  the  shore 
in  incalculable  numbers,  not  only  to  yield  to  man  an  unfailing 
supply,  but  to  make  the  necessary  provision  for  the  increase  of  their 
number. 

The  well-known  Sprat  also  belongs  to  the  genus  Clupea,  and, 
like  the  herring,  visits  our  shores  in  large  shoals.  The  sprat  fishery 
commences  in  the  beginning  of  November.  Not  only  are  enormous 
quantities  of  this  small  but  useful  fish  used  as  food,  and  sent  into  all 
parts  of  this  country,  but  they  are  very  largely  used  as  manure — fish, 
according  to  the  researches  of  Sir  H.  Davy,  being  a most  powerful  ma- 
nure, retaining  its  fertilizing  influence  for  a long  time.  Many  thou- 
sand tons’  weight  of  sprats  are  annually  used  for  this  purpose.  The 
whitebait  belongs  to  the  same  family. 

The  little  Anchovy  is  a fish  of  no  small  importance,  being  very 
largely  used  in  various  sauces,  besides  the  numbers  that  are  preserved 
in  pickle.  It  is  common  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  is  also  found 
on  our  coasts.  The  upper  jaw  of  this  fish  is  longer  than  the  lower 
one ; the  entire  length  of  the  fish  is  usually  from  four  to  five 
inches,  but  it  has  been  seen  measuring  upward  of  seven  inches. 

In  the  Flat-fish  we  see  a most  extraordinary  instance  of 
adaptation  of  structure  to  peculiar  circumstances.  We  have  all 
seen  flat-fish,  and  all  know  that  the  upper  side  is  dark,  and  the 


COMMON  SOLE. 


215 


under  side  nearly  white.  The  word  “side  ” is  used  advisedly,  as 
these  curious  fish  actually  lie  on  their  sides  at  the  bottom  of  the 
water  while  undisturbed  or  merely  feeding.  When,  however,  they 
are  alarmed,  they  rapidly  assume  the  vertical  position,  and  dart  off 
with  great  speed.  The  dark  upper  surface  serves  to  protect  them 
from  becoming  too  visible  to  enemies  above.  The  two  eyes  are  also 


the  cod. 

placed  on  the  upper  side  of  the  head  for  obvious  reasons.  In  fact, 
the  whole  fish  appears  as  if  it  had  been  laid  on  its  side,  and  rolled 
flat,  the  head  also  being  twisted  round,  and  the  lower  eye  removed 
to  the  upper  surface. 

The  Common  Sole  is  too  well  known  to  need  much  descrip- 
tion. This  fish  is  the  reverse  of  the  turbot,  having  the  eyes  and 
color  on  the  right  side,  although,  as  in  the  turbot,  varieties  are  not 


2l6 


TURBOT— COD— ELECTRIC  EEL. 


rare.  It  is  in  season  during  most  parts  of  the  year,  except  a few 
weeks  in  March  or  April. 

The  Turbot  is  found  on  the  coasts  of  most  parts  of  England, 
but  the  fisheries  are  nearly  exclusively  confined  to  the  southern 
coasts  of  Ireland.  The  fishery  is  conducted  both  by  nets  and  lines. 
On  the  coasts  one  turbot-line  frequently  extends  for  three  miles  in 
length,  and  is  furnished  with  2500  hooks,  which  are  attached  to 
the  main  line  by  small  horse-hair  lines,  each  twenty-seven  inches 
in  length.  This  enormous  line  is  “shot”  across  the  current  at 
the  turn  of  the  tide. 

The  Cod. — In  this  sub- order  the  bones  of  the  ventral  fins  are 
placed  under,  and  support  the  bones  of  the  shoulder. 

The  well-known  codfish  is  principally  found  on  the  coasts  of 
Newfoundland,  but  is  taken  in  great  numbers  on  our  own  shores. 
The  hook  is  generally  employed  for  the  capture  of  this  fine  fish. 
Such  is  its  voracity,  that  nearly  five  hundred  have  been  taken  by 
one  man  in  the  course  of  ten  hours.  The  intense  cold  renders  the 
cod  fishery  a service  of  great  hardship.  The  fecundity  of  this  fish 
is  almost  incredible,  the  roe  of  one  fish  having  been  ascertained  to 
contain  nine  million  eggs.  The  whiting  belongs  to  this  family. 

The  Eels  form  a sub-order  of  the  Apoda,  or  footless  fish,  so 
called  from  the  absence  of  ventral  fins.  These  fish  assume  a form 
very  similar  to  the  serpents.  Although  on  a hasty  examination  they 
seem  to  be  devoid  of  scales,  yet  when  the  skin  is  dried,  very  minute 
scales  may  be  seen  through  the  semi-transparent  outer  skin,  and  may 
be  easily  detached  by  carefully  separating  the  two  skins. 

Eels  inhabit  muddy  ponds  and  rivers,  and  are  common  in 
many  canals. 

The  Electric  Eel. — This  curious  fish,  which  exhibits  the  sin- 
gular phenomenon  of  voluntary  electric  power  residing  in  a living 
animal,  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  fresh-water  rivers  and  ponds  of 


SHORT  SUN-FISH— STURGEON. 


2i  7 


Surinam,  and  other  parts  of  South  America,  where  it  was  first  dis- 
covered in  the  year  1677. 

This  power  of  emitting  an  electric  shock  is  apparently  given  it 
in  order  to  enable  the  creature  to  kill  its  prey.  Those  who  have 
seen  the  electric  eel  in  the  Polytechnic  while  being  fed,  will  have 
little  doubt  of  this.  The  fish  given  to  it  are,  directly  it  becomes 
aware  of  their  presence,  instantly  struck  dead  and  then  devoured. 
This  specimen  is  unfortunately  blind,  but  it  has  learned  to  turn  in 
the  direction  of  a paddling  in  the  water,  made  by  the  individual 
who  feeds  it.  The  fish  is  scarcely  in  the  water  before  the  shock 
from  the  gymnotus  kills  it.  The  usual  length  of  the  gymnotus  is 
about  three  feet. 

The  Short  Sun-fish. — This  order  derives  its  name  from  the 
curious  structure  of  the  jaws,  which  are  fixed  together  in  a very 
peculiar  manner.  It  is  of  a most  singular  shape,  looking  as  if  three 
fourths  of  a very  large  fish  had  been  cut  off,  leaving  only  the  head 
and  shoulders.  It  attains  to  a very  large  size,  and  has  been  known 
to  weigh  three  hundred  pounds,  its  length  being  only  four  feet  five 
inches.  It  lives  mostly  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  but  frequently 
rises  to  the  surface,  and  lies,  perhaps  sleeps,  floating  with  the  tide. 

The  Sturgeon. — The  remaining  fishes  belong  to  the  Cartila- 
ginous sub-class;  that  is,  their  skeletons  are  composed  of  cartilage, 
and  not  of  true  bone.  The  first  sub-order  possess  free  gill-covers, 
like  those  of  all  the  preceding  fish ; but  the  remainder  breathe  by 
means  either  of  slits,  as  in  the  sharks,  or  holes,  as  in  the  lampreys. 
The  sturgeon  is  remarkable  for  the  rows  of  bony  plates  extending 
along  the  body.  It  is  exceedingly  common  in  the  northern  parts 
of  Europe  and  in  North  America,  where  regular  fisheries  are  organ- 
ized for  its  capture.  Almost  every  part  of  it  is  used.  Isinglass  is 
obtained  by  drying  and  shredding  the  air-bladder ; caviare  is  made 
of  the  roe  of  the  female,  and  the  flesh  is  extensively  preserved  both 


2 1 8 


SHARK— RA  Y. 


by  pickling  and  salting,  besides  the  large  quantities  that  are  con- 
sumed fresh.  The  flavor  of  its  flesh  is  said  not  to  be  unlike  veal. 

A specimen  was  once  caught  in  the  Esk,  weighing  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty  pounds.  The  female  always  deposits  her  eggs  in 
fresh  water,  and  the  young,  when  hatched,  descend  to  the  sea,  and 
are  supposed  not  to  return  again  until,  in  their  turn,  they  seek  the 
fresh  water  in  order  to  deposit  their  spawn. 

The  Sharks  and  Rays  have  no  gill-covers,  but  the  water 
passes  through  five  elongated  apertures  on  each  side  of  the  head. 
The  sharks  are  proverbially  ferocious  and  dangerous  creatures,  and 
are  the  pest  of  those  seas  which  they  infest.  Their  mouths  are 
furnished  with  several  rows  of  sharp,  jagged  teeth,  which  can  be 
raised  or  depressed  at  pleasure,  and  which  can  cut  through  a limb 
or  even  the  body  of  a man  with  the  greatest  ease.  The  mouth  of 
these  fishes  is  placed  beneath  the  head,  so  that  a shark  cannot  seize 
its  prey  at  the  surface  of  the  water  without  turning  on  its  side, 
which  evolution  often  gives  time  for  its  expected  prey  to  escape. 

The  little  Spotted  Dogfish  is  the  most  common  of  the  sharks 
that  visit  our  shores.  It  is  principally  known  on  account  of  the 
havoc  it  makes  among  the  fish  during  the  seasons  of  the  various 
fisheries,  for  which  reason  it  is  most  especially  detested  by  the  un- 
fortunate fishermen,  who  not  unfrequently,  together  with  their  ex- 
pected spoil,  draw  up  a few  dogfish  in  their  nets.  The  dogfish,  on 
finding  themselves  entangled,  immediately  commence  tearing  the 
nets  to  pieces  with  their  sharp  and  powerful  teeth. 

The  empty  eggs  of  this  fish  are  often  found  washed  up  on  the 
sea-shore,  and  called  by  the  name  of  “mermaids’  purses.” 

The  White  Shark  is  a well-known  scourge  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  This  is  the  creature  so  detested  by 
sailors,  who,  when  they  have  caught  a “shark,”  subject  it  to 
every  possible  indignity.  This  voracious  creature  has  been  known 


The  white  shark. 


220 


SA  WFISH— TORPEDO. 


to  swallow  an  entire  man,  and  as  it  is  in  the  habit  of  lurking  about 
ships  for  the  sake  of  the  scraps  thrown  overboard,  and  almost  in- 
variably swallows  whatever  is  cast  over  the  side,  the  contents  of  its 
stomach  are  often  of  a most  heterogeneous  description.  The  sail- 
ors always  amuse  themselves  by  seeing  what  the  shark  has  “stowed 
away,  ’ ’ and  the  substances  thus  brought  to  light  have  been  most 
curious.  The  entire  contents  of  a lady’s  work-basket, down  to  the 
scissors,  were  found  in  the  interor  of  one  shark,  and  another  had 
actually  swallowed  an  entire  bull’s  hide — a circumstance  which  led 
the  operating  sailor  to  remark  that  the  shark  had  swallowed  a bull, 
but  could  not  “digest  ” the  hide. 

The  Sawfish  is  found  in  the  greatest  perfection  in  the  tropi- 
cal seas,  although  it  also  inhabits  the  Mediterranean.  The  weapon 
from  which  the  fish  derives  its  name  is  a flat,  long  prolongation  of 
the  head,  on  each  edge  of  which  are  set  hard  tooth-like  projections, 
curiously  inserted  into  the  bone.  This  fish  has  been  known  to  em- 
ploy its  saw  in  the  attack  on  the  whale,  burying  the  apparently  in- 
appropriate weapon  to  the  very  root  in  the  body  of  the  whale  ; nor 
are  instances  wanting  where  the  saw  has  been  found  firmly  im- 
bedded in  the  hull  of  a ship. 

The  Torpedo  may  fairly  be  considered  a British  fish.  It 
affords  a second  instance  of  the  electric  power  residing  in  a fish. 
The  organs  that  produce  the  electric  shock  are  shown  externally 
by  two  elevations  extending  from  the  eyes  about  half  way  down  the 
body.  Although  it  has  once  or  twice  been  caught  on  our  coasts, 
it  is  usually  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  where  its  powers  are  well 
known,  and  held  in  some  awe.  The  shock  that  the  torpedo  gives, 
of  course,  varies  according  to  the  size  of  the  fish,  and  its  state  of 
health,  but  a tolerably  large  fish  in  good  health  can,  for  the  time, 
disable  a strong  man.  From  the  effects  of  its  shock,  it  is  in  some 
parts  called  the  cramp-fish. 


RA  Y— LAMPREY. 


22  I 


The  Rays  are  at  first  sight  not  unlike  the  turbot  and  sole,  but 
a closer  examination  will  show  that  the  rays  really  swim  with  their 
backs  upward,  whereas  the  turbot  swims  on  its  side.  The  move- 
ment of  the  ray  is  very  curious. 

The  Skate  is  caught  in  abundance  on  our  shores,  and  in  Eng- 
land is  in  much  request  as  an  article  of  food,  although  by  many  it 
is  used  principally  for  bait.  The  Thornback  Skate  derives  its  name 
from  the  spiny  armature  of  the  tail,  with  which  the  fish  defends 
itself  most  vigorously  by  bending  itself  almost  into  a semicircle 
and  lashing  about  with  its  tail.  The  female  of  the  thornback  skate 
is  termed  a maid.  It  often  attains  to  a large  size,  the  largest 
known  being  twelve  feet  in  length,  and  nearly  ten  in  width.  The 
jaws  of  the  rays  are  exceedingly  powerful,  and  enable  them  to 
crush  with  perfect  ease  the  various  shell-fish  on  which  they  feed. 
The  Sting  Ray  is  another  species,  which  is  armed  with  a serrated 
bone  in  its  tail,  with  which  it  can  inflict  painful  and  even  dangerous 
wounds. 

The  Lamprey. — These  curious  fishes,  in  many  respects  the 
lowest  in  organization  of  the  vertebrated  animals,  are  chiefly 
remarkable  for  the  singular  construction  of  the  mouth,  which, 
formed  like  that  of  the  leech,  enables  the  lampreys  to  hold  firmly 
to  any  object  by  suction.  The  breathing  apparatus  appears  exter- 
nally to  consist  of  fourteen  small  apertures,  seven  on  each  side  of 
the  neck.  Their  progress  through  the  water  is  accomplished  by  a 
rapid  undulating  movement. 

The  Marine  Lamprey  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  in 
most  of  the  northern  European  rivers.  It  has  also  been  discovered 
in  America.  Like  many  other  fishes,  it  travels  for  many  miles  up 
rivers  for  the  purpose  of  depositing  its  spawn,  at  which  time  it  is 
considered  to  be  in  the  highest  perfection.  The  spawn  is  deposited 
in  furrows,  some  excavated  by  the  parent  lampreys,  who,  by  the 


222 


MYXINE— MOLL  USCS—  CEPHA  L OTODA . 


help  of  their  sucker-like  mouths,  rapidly  remove  even  large  stones. 

The  Lampern,  or  River  Lamprey,  is  plentifully  found  in  many 
rivers  of  America.  Its  length  is  usually  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
inches.  In  some  counties  of  England  it  is  called  seven-eyes,  in 
allusion  to  the  breathing  apertures  in  the  neck. 

The  Myxine,  which,  although  a decided  fish,  was  classed  by 
Linnaeus  among  the  worms,  occurs  frequently  on  the  eastern  coasts 
of  this  country.  The  fishermen  find  it  within  the  bodies  of  fish 
attached  to  the  lines.  The  Scarborough  fishermen  call  such  fish 
“ robbed,”  as  the  myxine,  in  the  course  of  a single  tide,  will  de- 
vour the  whole  fish,  except  the  skin  and  bones.  The  length  of  the 
myxine  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches. 

MOLLUSCS. 

The  Mollusca  have  neither  spine  nor  bones,  the  nervous 
system  consisting  of  a number  of  nervous  knobs  called  “ ganglia,” 
which  give  off  filamentous  nerves  in  different  directions.  Few 
molluscs  possess  eyes,  but  in  one  or  two,  as  the  snails  and  slugs, 
these  organs  are  to  be  found,  and  in  the  higher  molluscs,  such  as 
the  cuttlefish,  we  see  not  only  large  and  brilliant  eyes,  but  also 
organs  of  hearing. 

The  Cephalopoda,  so  called  from  the  organs  of  movement 
surrounding  the  head,  are  divided  into  naked  and  testaceous , or 
covered  with  a shell. 

The  Common  Cuttlefish  is  an  example  of  a naked  cep  ha- 
lopodous  mollusc.  This  repulsive-looking  creature  is  common  on 
our  shores,  and  is,  in  spite  of  its  unpleasant  appearance,  often  used 
for  food.  Its  eight  long  and  flexible  arms  are  covered  with  suckers 
of  various  sizes,  enabling  their  owner  not  only  to  fix  itself  firmly  to 
the  rocks  on  which  it  dwells,  but  to  seize  and  retain  with  the 
greatest  tenacity  any  unfortunate  fish  or  shell  that  may  happen  to  come 


CUTTLEFISH— SQUID— OCTOPUS— ARGONA  UT.  223 


within  its  reach.  Its  powerful  parrot-like  beak  enables  it  not  only 
to  devour  fishes,  but  even  to  crush  the  shells  and  Crustacea  that  are 
entangled  in  its  deadly  embrace.  In  this  country,  the  cuttle  does 
not  grow  to  any  great  size,  but  in  the  Indian  Seas  it  is  absolutely 
dangerous,  and  the  crews  of  boats  are  forced  to  be  armed  with  a 
hatchet,  to  cut  off  the  arms  of  the  cuttlefish. 

There  are  few  who  have  not  heard  of  the  color  “ sepia.  ” 
This  is,  or  ought  to  be,  prepared  from  a black  pigment,  secreted 
by  the  cuttlefish,  and  used  in  order  to  escape  its  foes,  by  blacken- 
ing the  water  with  the  ink,  and  hurrying  off  under  shelter  of  the 
dense  cloud  of  its  own  creating.  Dr.  Buckland  actually  drew  a 
portrait  of  a fossil  cuttlefish  with  some  of  its  own  ink  that  still 
remained  in  its  body.  The  substance  sold  in  the  shops  as  cuttle- 
fish bone  is  a chalky  substance  secreted  from  the  mouth  of  the  fish, 
and  composed  of  an  infinite  number  of  plates,  joined  by  myriads 
of  little  pillars.  The  entire  body  is  soft,  and  encased  in  a coarse, 
leather- like  skin,  unprotected  by  any  shell. 

The  Squid  is  much  like  the  cuttlefish  in  looks.  The  common 
squid,  found  on  the  coast  of  New  England,  is  six  to  twelve  inches 
long,  but  very  large  ones  have  been  found  off  the  coast  of  New- 
foundland. In  1872  one  was  seen  whose  body  was  nearly  twice  as 
long  as  a man,  while  its  arms  were  five  times  as  long  as  a man.  It 
is  thought  that  some  of  them  grow  to  be  at  least  fifty  feet  long, 
such  ones  are  very  strong  and  dangerous.  The  “devil-fish”  told 
about  by  Victor  Hugo  in  his  book  called  “ The  Toilers  of  the 
Sea,”  which  catches  a man  and  draws  him  down  into  his  cave,  is 
something  like  an  octopus,  but  there  is  really  no  such  animal  in  the 
world  as  the  one  he  describes. 

The  principal  eight-arm  cephalopods  are  the  Octopus,  or 
Poulpe  and  the  Argonaut.  The  common  octopus,  found  in  the 
European  seas,  has  a round  body  about  as  large  as  a man’s  fist, 


THE  ARGONAUT,  OR  PAPER  NAUTILUS. 

swim  in  other  ways.  It  can  walk  on  its  eight  arms  in  the  same  way 
with  the  cuttlefish.  In  the  seas  of  hot  countries  the  octopus  grows 
very  large. 

The  Argonaut,  or  Nautilus,  is  an  example  of  the  testaceous 
molluscs.  This  curious  creature,  about  which  so  many  marvellous 


224 


ARGONA  UT,  OR  NA  UTIL  US. 


with  eight  arms  around  it,  each  three  or  four  feet  long.  Near  the 
body  these  arms  are  joined  by  a tough  skin,  by  opening  and  shut- 
ting which  it  can  swim  backward.  It  has  also  a tube  which  opens 
near  its  mouth,  through  which  it  blows  out  water,  which  helps  it  to 


SLUGS— COMMON  SNAIL. 


225 


and  poetical  tales  have  been  told,  is  very  abundant  in  the  Medi- 
terranean. It  has  been  clearly  proved  that  the  nautilus  does  not 
urge  itself  along  the  surface  of  the  water  by  the  expanded  arms 
used  as  sails.  These  arms  are  in  fact  used  to  cover  the  shell,  and 
it  is  from  these  that  the  beautiful  shell  is  secreted.  The  argonaut 
propels  itself  through  the  sea  by  violently  ejecting  water  from  the 
tube  with  which  it,  as  well  as  the  cuttlefish,  is  furnished  for  that 
purpose.  The  colors  of  the  living  animal  of  the  nautilus  are  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful. 

The  arms  of  this  creature  are  furnished  with  suckers.  Its 
shell,  when  the  poulpe  (as  the  living  argonaut  is  called)  is  still 
existing,  is  flexible  and  semi-transparent ; but  when  the  animal  is 
taken  away,  the  shell  soon  becomes  rather  opaque,  and  is  very 
fragile. 

The  Slugs  are  well-known  invaders  of  our  gardens,  and,  to- 
gether with  the  snail,  the  caterpillar,  and  the  mysterious  “ blight,” 
are  objects  of  the  gardener’s  most  intense  hatred.  The  black  slug 
is  usually  found  by  hedge-banks  and  in  grassy  meadows.  It  seldom 
ventures  out  by  day,  especially  if  the  day  be  bright ; but  at  night, 
when  the  dew  is  on  the  ground,  it  may  be  seen  trailing  its  dark 
length  through  the  herbage,  or  eagerly  devouring  the  leaves. 

The  Common  Snail. — Several  species  of  snails  inhabit  this 
country,  among  which  the  edible  snail,  the  belted  snail,  and  the 
common  garden  snail  are  the  most  conspicuous.  The  edible  snail 
was  imported  into  England  by  the  Romans,  who  prized  them  highly, 
and  fattened  them  in  a building  erected  for  that  express  purpose,  as 
indeed  is  now  done  in  some  parts  of  Europe.  This  snail  grows  to 
a large  size,  nearly  attaining  the  magnitude  of  an  ordinary  closed 
fist. 

The  eyes  of  the  snail  are  placed  at  the  extremity  of  the  ten- 
tacula,  or  ‘ ‘ horns,”  as  they  are  usually  called.  The  common  garden 

15 


— 


226  WOODCOCK— WENTLETRAP— COWRIE— LIMPETS. 

snail  is  so  well  known  that  no  description  of  it  is  needed.  It  lays 
eggs  very  large  in  comparison  with  the  size  of  the  parent ; they  are 
about  the  size  of  small  peas,  round,  soft,  and  semi-transparent. 
They  are  deposited  about  two  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

The  beautiful  Thorny  Woodcock,  sometimes  called  by  the 
name  of  Venus’s  comb,  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  Muricidae. 
This  elegant  shell  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Indian  Ocean. 

The  Royal  Staircase  Wentletrap  affords  us  an  excellent  and 
most  beautiful  example  of  the  Turbinidae.  It  is  a native  of  the 
Chinese  and  Indian  seas,  and  was  formerly  so  scarce  that  a specimen 
two  inches  in  length  would  sell  for  five  hundred  dollars.  Even 
now,  a very  fine  specimen  cannot  be  obtained  under  thirty  or  thirty- 
five  dollars.  For  this  reason,  the  specific  name  “ pretiosa  ” was 
affixed  to  it  by  Lamarck. 

As  an  example  of  the  large  family  of  Cones,  we  will  take  the 
common  cone,  whose  beautiful  marbled  color  and  elegant  shape 
render  it  a most  attractive  shell. 

The  Money  Cowrie  and  the  Whelk. — The  cowries  are  not  less 
celebrated  for  the  elegance  of  their  form,  and  the  beauty  of  their 
markings,  than  for  the  curious  circumstance  that  one  species  is  used 
as  current  coin  in  Guinea  and  Bengal,  thus  being  employed  for  the 
same  purpose  by  two  entirely  distinct  races  of  men,  situated  in  dif- 
ferent quarters  of  the  globe.  Their  value  is  of  course  small  in  pro- 
portion to  gold  or  silver.  At  the  present  time  a rupee  in  Bengal  is 
worth  3200  cowries,  the  value  of  the  rupee  being  about  thirty  cents 
of  our  money. 

The  Limpets  are  spread  over  every  latitude,  except  the  Arctic 
regions.  The  common  limpet  is  to  be  found  on  every  rock  and 
large  stone  at  the  sea-side.  The  mode  of  its  attachment  to  the  rocks 
is  very  curious,  and  well  repays  a careful  examination. 


BIVALVE  MOLLUSCS. 


227 


THE  OYSTER. 

be  convinced  of  the  strength  of  this  muscle.  The  two  shells  are 
united  by  a powerful  elastic  hinge,  which  after  the  death  of  the 
animal  opens  the  shells  widely. 

The  bivalves  do  not  enjoy  such  powers  of  locomotion  as  the 
univalves,  yet  some,  as  the  fresh-water  mussel,  can  urge  themselves 


We  now  arrive  at  the  Bivalve  Molluscs.  It  has  been  already 
stated  that  the  bivalves  are  all  aquatic.  These  creatures  are  enabled 
to  keep  their  shell  firmly  closed  by  means  of  a powerful  muscle. 
Those  who  have  attempted  for  the  first  time  to  open  an  oyster,  must 


228  SCALLOP— COMMON  OYSTER— SEA  MUSSELS. 


along  by  means  of  a fleshy  organ  called  the  foot ; and  so  powerful 
in  some  is  this  organ,  that  by  means  of  it  the  animal  can  not  only 
burrow  in  the  sand,  but  actually  leap  out  of  a boat.  The  rapid 
opening  and  shutting  of  the  valves  is  used  by  some,  as  the  scallop, 
as  a means  of  progression.  It  is  believed  that  the  bivalves  ha've  no 
visual  organs. 

The  common  Scallop  is  found  along  our  southern  coasts,  and 
in  the  seas  of  Europe.  This  shell  was  formerly  used  as  the  badge 
of  a Pilgrim  to  the  Holy  Land. 

The  Common  Oyster  has  been  for  many  ages  considered  as  a 
delicacy  for  the  table.  In  the  times  of  the  ancient  Romans,  we 
find  that  English  “ native  oysters  ’ * were  exported  to  Rome,  and 
then  placed  in  the  Lucrine  Lake,  where  they  were  fattened. 

On  our  coasts  the  oysters  breed  in  large  beds,  to  which  vast 
quantities  of  young  oysters  are  conveyed  by  the  fishermen,  and 
suffered  to  increase  without  molestation.  During  the  months  of 
May,  June,  and  July,  the  oysters  breed,  and  are  considered  unfit 
for  food.  At  this  time  the  young,  called  “spat,”  are  deposited  in 
enormous  numbers.  They  instantly  adhere  to  the  substance  among 
which  they  fall;  and  this,  whatever  it  be,  is  called  “ cultch,”  and 
is  protected  by  severe  penalties.  About  May  the  fishermen  separate 
the  spawn  from  the  cultch,  which  is  then  thrown  back  into  its 
former  place.  After  May  it  is  felony  to  disturb  the  cultch,  as  were 
it  removed,  mussels  and  cockles  would  rapidly  take  the  place  of  the 
oysters. 

The  oysters  are  taken  in  the  proper  season  by  the  “ dredge,” 
a kind  of  small  net  fastened  round  an  iron  framework,  which  scoops 
up  the  oysters  and  many  other  marine  animals.  The  part  of  the 
oysters  called  the  “beard”  is  in  reality  the  respiratory  apparatus. 

The  Sea  Mussels  are  usually  fixed  where  the  tide  leaves  them 
alternately  wet  and  dry,  and  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that  those  “shell- 


BARN  A CLE—  CR  USTA  CEA. 


229 


fish”  which  are  exposed  to  variations  of  this  kind  are  enabled  to 
close  their  shells  so  firmly  as  to  prevent  any  evaporation.  One 
species  is  extensively  used  as  an  article  of  food.  The  river  mussels 
occasionally  produce  pearls  of  some  value.  The  nacre  of  these 
mussels  is  of  a beautiful  azure  blue. 

The  Barnacle  is  always  found  adhering  to  some  larger  object, 
usually  floating  wood,  and  is  very  common  on  the  hulls  of  ships. 
Although  the  perfect  animal  is  permanently  fixed,  it  has  been  dis- 
covered that  the  young  are  free  and  capable  of  locomotion ; nor  is 
it  until  a week  or  two  has  passed  that  they  finally  settle  themselves. 

The  Crustacea  are  almost  all  aquatic  animals.  They  have  no 
internal  skeleton,  but  their  body  is  covered  with  a strong  crust, 
which  serves  for  protection  as  well  as  for  strength.  Their  whole 
framework  consists  of  a series  of  rings  fitted  to  and  working  in  each 
other ; some  forming  limbs,  and  others  developing  into  the  frame- 
work supporting  the  different  organs.  From  this  reason  they  and 
the  remaining  animals,  as  far  as  the  star-fishes,  who  have  no  limbs 
at  all,  are  called  “ articulated  ” animals. 

Their  method  of  growth  is  very  curious.  Other  animals,  as 
they  increase  in  size,  experience  no  particular  inconvenience.  Not 
so  the  Crustacea.  Their  bodies  are  closely  enveloped  in  a strong, 
unyielding  mail,  which  cannot  grow  with  them.  Their  armor  is 
therefore  cast  off  every  year,  and  a fresh  coat  formed  to  suit  their 
increased  dimensions.  Not  only  is  the  armor  cast  off,  but  even  the 
covering  of  the  eyes,  the  tendons  of  the  claws,  and  lining  meinbrane 
of  the  stomach , with  its  teeth.  They  all  possess  the  curious  power 
of  reproducing  a lost  or  injured  limb.  In  the  former  case,  a fresh 
limb  supplies  the  place  of  that  lost ; and  in  the  latter  case,  the  ani- 
mal itself  shakes  off  the  injured  joint,  and  a new  one  soon  takes  its 
place.  Lobsters,  when  alarmed,  frequently  throw  off  their  claws. 

The  Decapods  are  the  fortunate  possessors  of  ten  legs,  five  at 
each  side.  They  also  possess  three  pairs  of  jaws,  besides  the  teeth 


230  COMMON  CRAB— HERMIT  CRAB— LOBSTER. 


in  the  stomach.  They  breathe  by  means  of  branchiae  or  gills,  fixed 
at  each  side  of  the  throat  or  chest,  often  erroneously  called  the 
head. 

The  Common  Crab  belongs  to  the  short-tailed  Decapods.  It 
is  abundantly  taken  on  our  coasts  by  fishermen,  who  employ  for  its 
capture  a wicker  basket  called  a 4 ‘creel  ” or  crab-pot.  The  crab- 
pots  are  made  each  with  an  aperture  which  permits  the  animal  to 
enter,  but  forbids  its  egress — just  like  a common  wire  mouse-trap. 
A piece  of  a fish  is  fastened  at  the  bottom  of  the  creel,  and  the 
whole  apparatus  let  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  guarded  by  a 
line  connected  with  a float,  by  means  of  which  the  fishermen  draw 
it  up  and  then  remove  its  contents.  Each  float  has  a peculiar  mark, 
by  which  the  fisherman  knows  his  own.  When  taken,  the  crabs  are 
kept  alive  in  well-boats,  until  wanted. 

The  Hermit  Crab  is  not  so  well  protected  as  most  of  his  rela- 
tions, for  his  tail  has  no  shelly  armor.  He  is  therefore  forced  to 
protect  his  undefended  tail  by  putting  it  into  an  empty  shell,  usually 
that  of  a whelk,  and  then  walks  about,  dragging  his  curious  house 
after  him.  Sometimes,  two  hermit  crabs  wish  to  obtain  possession 
of  the  same  shell,  and  then  there  is  a battle  royal.  When  the  crab 
grows  larger,  he  only  has  to  change  his  old  shell  for  a new  one,  and 
it  is  very  amusing  to  see  these  creatures  slipping  their  tails  first  into 
one  shell,  and  then  into  another,  until  they  have  pleased  themselves 
with  a good  fit. 

The  Common  Lobster  is  found  in  great  abundance  on  our 
coast,  usually  in  the  clear,  rocky  waters.  The  grasp  of  its  claw  is 
so  tight,  that  to  break  off  the  claws  is  often  the  only  method  of  dis- 
engaging its  hold.  Although  enormous  quantities  are  destroyed 
every  year,  they  are  so  prolific  that  the  supply  never  fails.  The 
so-called  lady’s-fingers  of  the  lobster  are  its  breathing  apparatus. 


THE  EDIBEE  CRAB, 


232 


STAR-FISHES— SHIP-  WORM. 


Star-fishes. — These  creatures  exhibit  in  the  strongest  manner 
the  radiate  form  of  body,  the  various  organs  boldly  radiating  from 
a common  centre. 

Many  of  these  creatures  are  exceedingly  common  upon  our  own 
coasts,  so  plentiful,  indeed,  as  to  be  intensely  hated  by  the  fisher- 
men. Of  these  the  common  Five-fingered  Jack,  often  seen  on  the 
New  England  coast,  is  perhaps  found  in  the  greatest  number.  All 
star-fishes  are  very  wonderful  beings,  and  well  repay  a close  and 
lengthened  examination  of  their  habits,  their  development,  and  their 
anatomy. 

The  movements  of  the  star-fish  are  extremely  graceful,  the 
creature  gliding  onward  with  a beautifully  smooth  and  regular  mo- 
tion. It  always  manages  to  accommodate  itself  to  the  surface  over 
which  it  is  passing,  never  bridging  over  even  a slight  depression, 
but  exactly  following  all  the  equalities  of  the  ground.  It  can  also 
pass  through  a very  narrow  opening,  and  does  so  by  pushing  one 
ray  in  front,  and  folding  the  others  back  so  that  they  may  afford 
no  obstacle  to  the  passage.  It  also  has  an  odd  habit  of  pressing  the 
points  of  its  rays  upon  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  raising  itself  in 
the  middle  so  as  to  resemble  a five-legged  stool. 

The  Ship-Worm,  as  this  mollusc  is  appropriately  called,  from 
its  depredations  on  the  bottoms  of  the  ships  and  all  submerged 
wooden  structures,  is  found  in  most  seas,  and  on  our  own  coasts 
works  fearful  damage  by  eating  into  piles,  planks,  or  even  loose 
wood  that  lies  tossing  about  in  the  ocean.  I have  now  before  me 
a portion  of  the  pier  at  Yarmouth,  which  is  so  honeycombed  by 
this  terrible  creature  that  it  can  be  crushed  between  the  hands  as  if 
it  were  paper,  and  in  many  places  the  wood  is  not  thicker  than  or- 
dinary foolscap.  The  burrow  which  the  creature  forms  is  either 
wholly  or  partially  lined  with  shell,  and  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that 
the  ship-worm  and  its  mode  of  burrowing  was  the  object  that  gave 
Sir  I.  Brunei  the  idea  of  the  Thames  Tunnel. 


PR  A WN— SHRIMP— SPIDERS— ARA  CHNIDA. 


233 


The  Prawn  and  the  Shrimp  are  so  familiar  to  every  one  as  to 
need  but  little  description.  Both  are  taken  in  nets  swept  along  the 
sandy  bottom  of  the  sea.  The  chief  distinction  in  the  appearance 
of  these  two  creatures  is  the  serrated  or  toothed  ridge  which  runs 
along  the  back  of  the  head,  or  rather  carapace,  of  the  prawn. 
When  in  their  natural  state,  they  are  of  a brown  color,  and  only 
assume  the  pinkish  hue  when  boiled.  The  Fresh-water  Shrimp 
and  the  Water-flea  are  placed  among  the  Crustacea. 

SPIDERS. 

The  Class  Arachnida,  or  the  Spiders,  are  by  many  supposed 
to  be  insects.  Such,  however,  is  not  the  case.  Spiders  possess 
eight  legs,  while  the  true  Insects  only  have  six ; they  undergo  no 
transformations,  they  possess  no  wings  or  antennae  (the  place  of 
the  latter  organs  being  supplied  either  by  two  jointed  claws,  as  in 
the  Scorpions,  or  by  two  fangs,  as  in  the  Spiders);  and  their  eyes 
are  simple  instead  of  compound. 

Could  people  divest  themselves  of  the  horror  felt  at  the  sight 
of  these  creatures,  especially  of  the  larger  sort,  they  would  be  well 
repaid  by  the  interesting  instinct  displayed  by  all  the  spiders,  who  _ 
do  not  differ  from  each  other  more  in  form  than  in  habits.  Those 
of  our  own  country  afford  an  ample  field,  which  had  been  as  yet 
but  imperfectly  trodden.  There  are  the  Gossamer  Spiders,  who 
float  high  unto  the  air,  borne  upon  an  almost  invisible  thread ; the 
Water  Spiders,  who  form  an  air-tight  dwelling  under  the  wave  ; the 
Hunting  Spiders,  that  creep  stealthily  upon  their  prey,  and  then 
spring  on  it  like  lightning ; the  beautiful  Garden  Spiders,  who  wave 
from  their  self-afforded  stores  their  geometrical  nets ; the 
Pirate  Spiders,  who  skim  over  the  surface  of  the  waters,  and 
snatch  up  the  drowning  and  helpless  fly ; together  with  many 
others,  whose  form  and  habits  must  be  familiar  to  any  ob‘- 


234 


GARDEN  OR  GEOMETRICAL  SPIDER. 


server  of  nature.  On  account  of  the  limited  space  that  can  be 
appropriated  to  each  class,  a short  account  of  some  of  the  principal 
species  of  this  class  is  all  that  can  be  given. 

The  common  Garden  or  Geometrical  Spider,  as  it  is  called 
from  the  mathematical  regularity  of  its  net,  is  an  excellent  example 
of  the  spiders.  The  net  is  formed  from  a gummy  substance  secreted 
in  an  apparatus  called  the  spinneret,  through  the  holes  of  which 


the;  garden  spider. 

the  gummy  secretion  is  drawn,  and  becomes  hard  when  exposed  to 
the  air.  Each  thread  is  composed  of  many  thousand  lines.  When 
the  web  is  completed,  the  spider  generally  hides  itself  under  a leaf 
or  other  convenient  lurking-place,  and  from  thence  pounces  upon 
any  unwary  fly  that  has  entangled  itself  in  the  slender  meshes. 
Should  the  fly  be  a large  one,  the  spider  rapidly  encircles  it  with 
fresh  threads  until  it  has  bound  its  wings  and  legs  to  the  body,  and 


I 


TARANTULA— SCORPION.  235 

then  breaking  off  the  few  threads  that  held  it  to  the  net,  bears  it 
off  triumphantly  to  its  hiding-place.  Frequently  the  geometrical 
spider  sits  in  the  centre  of  the  web,  apparently  enjoying  the  air, 
and  if  disturbed  shakes  the  net  so  violently  that  its  shape  is  com- 
pletely obscured  by  the  rapidity  of  the  vibrations. 

The  House  Spider  makes  a thicker  and  irregular  web,  and 
hides  at  the  bottom  of  a silken  tunnel  communicating  with  the  web. 
An  acquaintance  of  mine  had  so  far  tamed  a huge  house  spider, 
that  it  would  come  and  take  a fly  out  of  his  hand.  He  states  that, 
as  it  sat  at  the  bottom  of  its  den,  its  eyes  gleamed  like  diamonds. 

Many  efforts  have  been  made  to  procure  silk  from  spiders,  but 
although  a sufficient  quantity  has  been  obtained  to  weave  gloves 
from,  yet  spiders  are  so  pugnacious  that  they  cannot  be  kept  to- 
gether. The  eggs  of  the  spiders  are  enclosed  in  a silken  bag,  and 
when  hatched,  the  young  keep  closely  together,  and  when  dis- 
persed by  an  alarm,  soon  reassemble. 

The  Tarantula  whose  bite  was  fabled  to  produce  convul- 
sions which  could  only  be  appeased  by  music,  is  a spider  of  con- 
siderable size,  inhabiting  the  south  of  Europe.  It  lives  in  holes 
about  four  inches  deep  in  the  ground. 

The  Scorpion. — These  formidable  creatures  inhabit  most  of 
the  hotter  parts  of  the  globe.  They  are  quite  as  pugnacious  as  the 
spiders,  and  if  several  are  placed  in  one  box,  they  will  fight  until 
few  survive,  who  immediately  devour  their  fallen  foes.  The 
maxillae  of  the  scorpion  are  developed  into  large  claws,  like  those 
of  the  lobster.  With  these  the  scorpion  seizes  its  prey,  and  while 
holding  it  pierces  it  with  its  sting,  which  is  situated  at  the  extrem- 
ity of  its  tail.  The  tail  is  composed  of  six  joints,  rendering  it  very 
flexible.  The  sting  of  this  creature  is  exceedingly  painful,  and 
with  some  persons  dangerous  ; indeed,  the  sting  of  the  large  black 
scorpion  of  Ceylon  is  said  to  cause  death. 


236 


HAR  VEST-B  UG— INSECTS. 


The  Harvest-bug. — These  creatures  are  mostly  minute,  re- 
quiring the  aid  of  a microscope  fully  to  develop  their  form ; but 
some  are  considerably  larger,  and  their  organs  can  be  distinguished 
with  the  naked  eye.  In  this  order  are  included  the  common  cheese- 
mite,  the  harvest-bug,  the  water  mites,  etc. 

INSECTS. 

The  body  of  an  insect  is  divided  or  cut  into  three  parts,  called 
the  head,  the  thorax,  and  the  abdomen.  The  body  is  defended  by 
a horny  integument,  divided  into  rings,  and  connected  by  a softer 
membrane.  The  legs  are  six  in  number.  Many  insects  possess 
wings,  and  in  all  the  rudiments  of  those  organs  are  perceptible. 
The  eyes  are  compound,  that  is,  a number  of  eyes  are  massed  to- 
gether at  each  side  of  the  head ; and  so  numerous  are  they,  that  in 
the  compound  eyes  of  the  ant  are  50  lenses,  in  the  house-fly,  8000, 
in  the  butterfly,  17,000,  and  in  the  hawk-moth,  20,000. 

The  insects  pass  through  three  transformations  before  they 
attain  their  perfect  form.  The  first  state  is  called  the  larva , be- 
cause the  future  insect  is  masked  under  that  form ; the  second  is 
called  the  pupa , on  account  of  the  shape  often  assumed ; and  the 
third  is  called  the  imago , as  being  the  image  of  the  perfect  creature. 

Insects  breathe  by  means  of  air-tubes,  called  tracheae,  which 
penetrate  to  every  part  of  the  body,  ev$n  to  the  extremities  of  the 
limbs,  antennae  and  wings.  The  air  gains  access  to  the  tubes  by 
means  of  small  apertures  called  spiracles.  The  tubes  are  prevented 
from  collapsing  by  a delicate  thread  wound  spirally  between  the 
two  membranes  of  which  the  tubes  are  composed.  This  wonderful 
and  beautiful  arrangement  not  only  prevents  the  tubes  from  collaps- 
ing, but  keeps  them  flexible. 

There  are,  according  to  Stephens,  whose  arrangement  is  the 
one  usually  followed,  fourteen  orders  of  insects.  Examples  will  be 


BEETLES, 


237 


given  of  each,  and  their  names  explained.  The  most  perfect  insects 
are  placed  first. 

There  are  two  great  divisions  of  insects,  namely,  those  which 
bite  and  eat  solid  food  with  jaws,  as  the  beetles,  locusts,  bees,  etc. , 
and  those  which  suck  liquid  food  through  a proboscis,  as  the  butter- 
flies, flies,  etc.  The  first  order  of  insects  derives  its  name  from  the 
sheath  or  covering  with  which  the  wings  are  defended.  This  is  a 
very  extensive  order. 

Beetles  may  be  known  from  other  insects  by  the  two  horny 
sheaths  or  wing-covers  called  elytra , which  cover  their  true  wings 
so  closely  when  they  are  not  flying  that  they  look  as  if  they  had  no 
wings. 

Tiger  Beetles  are  so  called  from  their  stripes  and  because  they 
are  as  fierce  among  insects  as  tigers  are  among  quadrupeds.  They 
prey  on  caterpillars,  flies,  and  other  beetles,  and  will  even  eat  each 
other  when  shut  up  together.  The  Bombardier  Beetle  is  so  called 
from  its  habit  of  shooting  a strong  liquid  from  behind  at  its  ene- 
mies— bombard  being  an  old  name  for  a cannon.  Scavenger  Beetles 
have  feet  fitted  for  digging,  and  make  deep  holes  in  the  ground. 
They  live  on  filth,  of  which  they  clear  up  a great  deal.  Some  of 
them  are  called  Carrion  Beetles  because  they  eat  up  dead  animals. 
Others,  called  Sexton  Beetles,  bury  the  bodies  of  animals. 

Other  wonderful  beetles  are  the  Stag-horn  Beetles,  whose  long 
jaws  look  like  the  horns  of  a stag.  Our  common  Horn  Bug  belongs 
to  this  class.  In  some  countries  this  kind  of  beetle  is  very  useful 
in  clearing  up  dead  wood  in  forests.  They  lay  their  eggs  in  the 
bark  of  trees  blown  down  by  tempests,  and  their  grubs  eat  up  the 
whole  tree,  which  is  thus  turned  to  dust  and  enriches  the  earth. 

The  Spring  Beetles  or  Snapping  Bug  is  so  called  because  when 
laid  on  its  back  it  can  spring  up,  turn  over,  and  come  down  on  its 
feet.  Weevils  are  a kind  of  beetles  that  live  on  fruits  and  grains. 


MUSK-BEETLE. 


*3« 

and  do  great  injury  to  crops.  The  worms  found  in  plums,  apples, 
chestnuts,  and  other  fruit  come  from  eggs  laid  in  them  by  beetles. 
The  Spanish  Fly,  which  is  ground  to  powder  and  made  into  blister- 
ing plasters,  is  a bright  green  beetle.  Fireflys  or  Lightning  Bugs, 
Lady -birds , Potato  Bugs,  Squash  Bugs,  June  Bugs,  and  many  other 
•common  insects  are  also  beetles. 

The  cockchaffer  needs  not  much  description.  Its  larva  works 
great  mischief  during  the  spring,  as  it  feeds  on  the  roots  of  plants, 
and  cuts  them  off  with  its  sharp  sickle-like  jaws.  Where  many  of 
these  “grubs”  have  been,  the  grass  curls  up  and  dries  like  hay. 
One  farmer  actually  collected  eighty  bushels  of  the  grubs  of  the 
cockchaffer  on  his  farm.  Fortunately  the  thrushes,  blackbirds, 
rooks,  and  many  other  birds,  are  inveterate  destroyers  of  the  grubs, 
and  devour  myriads  of  them.  It  is  for  this  purpose  that  these  birds 
pull  up  the  grass,  and  not  to  spoil  or  devour  the  herbage,  as  is 
generally  supposed. 

The  Huge  Hercules  and  Atlas  Beetles,  and  larger  still,  the 
Goliath  Beetle,  belong  to  the  Lamellicorns. 

The  Glow-worm  may  be  seen  in  the  warm  summer  evenings, 
•shedding  its  pale  green  light  on  grassy  banks.  The  female  insect 
gives  out  a much  stronger  light  than  the  male,  and  there  is  some 
light  visible  even  in  the  larva.  The  light  of  this  insect  proceeds 
from  the  abdomen.  The  light  given  out  by  the  firefly,  another 
kind  of  beetle  inhabiting  South  America,  proceeds  from  three 
yollow  tubercles  placed  on  the  throat.  The  grub  or  larva  of  the 
glow-worm  is  of  a singular  form,  and  is  furnished  with  a brush  at 
the  extremity  of  the  tail,  with  which  it  cleanses  its  body  from  dust 
or  the  slime  of  the  snails  on  which  it  frequently  feeds. 

The  Musk-beetle. — The  beautiful  beetles,  of  which  the  com- 
mon musk-beetle  is  an  excellent  example,  vary  considerably  in 
;size ; some  being  several  inches  in  length,  while  some  are  hardly 


THIJ  BEETLE. 


240 


ROVE  BEETLES— WATER  BEETLE . 


one-quarter  of  an  inch  long.  The  extreme  length  of  their  antennae 
is  the  most  conspicuous  property,  and  from  that  peculiarity  they 
are  at  once  recognized. 

The  musk-beetle  is  a large  insect.  Its  peculiar  scent,  some- 
thing resembling  that  of  roses,  often  betrays  its  presence,  when  its 
green  color  would  have  kept  it  concealed.  When  touched,  it  emits 
a curious  sound,  not  unlike  that  of  the  bat,  but  more  resembling 
the  faint  scratching  of  a perpendicularly-held  slate-pencil.  Its  larva 
bores  deep  holes  in  the  trees,  which  are  often  quite  honeycombed 
by  them. 

The  Rove-beetles  form  an  exceedingly  extensive  section. 
Some  are  so  small  as  to  require  the  assistance  of  the  microscope  to 
discover  their  shape,  and  others  are  more  than  an  inch  in  length. 
The  small  species  are  usually  on  the  wing,  and  it  is  very  amusing 
to  see  them  alight,  and  with  their  flexible  tails  tuck  their  long  and 
beautifully-shaped  wings  under  the  elytra,  run  about  for  a moment, 
and  then  again  take  to  flight.  These  are  the  creatures  that  cause 
so  much  annoyance  by  flying  into  one’s  mouth  or  eye  in  the  warm 
months. 

The  Great  Rove-beetle  is  commonly  found  upon  decaying 
animal  substances.  It  is  most  formidably  armed  with  two  large, 
curved,  sharp  mandibles,  the  bite  of  which  is  tolerably  severe ; and 
more  than  once,  when  the  creature  has  been  recently  feeding  upon 
putrid  substances,  dangerous  results  have  followed. 

Water-beetles  inhabit  the  water,  and  swim  with  remarkable 
activity.  They  occasionally  come  to  the  surface  for  a fresh  supply 
of  air,  which  they  carry  down  between  the  elytra  and  the  upper 
surface  of  the  abdomen.  They  fly  very  well,  but  the  construction 
of  their  limbs  prevents  them  from  walking.  They  cannot  be  kept 
in  a limited  space,  as  they  are  very  fierce  and  voracious,  and  in 
one  case,  when  a male  and  female  were  placed  in  a jar  filled  with 


EARWIG— LOCUST— -HOUSE  CRICKET. 


241 


water,  only  one  day  elapsed  before  the  male  was  found  dead  and 
half  devoured  by  his  disconsolate  widow. 

The  Earwig  is  placed  in  an  order  by  itself.  The  wings  are 
large  and  exceedingly  beautiful,  and  the  method  of  folding  by 
which  they  are  packed  under  the  very  small  elytra  is  very  curious. 
The  use  of  the  forceps  seems  principally  for  the  purpose  of  folding 
the  wings  and  placing  them  in  their  proper  position  under  their 
cases.  The  eggs  of  the  earwigs  are  hatched,  and  the  young  pro- 
tected by  the  parent. 

The  Locust. — These  pests  of  the  warmer  countries  of  the 
earth  belong  to  the  order  called  Orthoptera,  because  the  wings  are 
not  folded  transversely.  They  fly  in  countless  myriads,  and  where 
they  descend,  they  devour  every  particle  of  green  herbage — the 
trees  are  stripped  of  their  leaves,  the  grass  and  corn  is  eaten  to  the 
very  ground ; for  their  jaws  are  so  strong  as  to  inflict  a severe 
wound  when  the  insect  is  incautiously  handled. 

Nor  does  the  mischief  end  with  their  life,  for  their  dead  bodies 
often  accumulate  in  such  numbers  that  the  air  is  even  dangerously 
infected.  They  infest  Africa  and  Central  Asia,  but  they  annually 
make  incursions  to  Europe  and  America,  where  the  damage  they 
occasion  is  much  less  reparable  than  in  their  native  land  ; for  there 
the  power  of  vegetation  is  so  great  that  a few  days  repair  the  in- 
juries caused  by  them,  but  in  Europe  a whole  year  is  required  for 
that  purpose. 

Our  common  grasshoppers  belong  to  this  order,  but  require  no 
description. 

The  House  Cricket. — This  well-known  insect  delights  to  live 
in  places  that  are  always  warm,  and  consequently  is  found  swarm- 
ing about  ovens,  kitchen  fireplaces,  and  localities  of  a similar 
nature.  It  makes  its  residence  by  cutting  away  the  mortar  with  its 
powerful  jaws,  and  so  effectually  will  it  do  so,  that  it  sometimes 
16 


242  MOLE  CRICKET— LEAF  INSECT— COCKROACH. 


eats  completely  through  the  wall,  opening  communications  between 
two  or  more  houses.  The  manner  in  which  it  bears  heat  is  wonder- 
ful, as  it  will  live  within  a few  inches  of  a fierce  fire. 

But  the  aridity  and  heat  of  the  atmosphere  in  which  it  lives 
render  it  very  liable  to  thirst,  and  it  consequently  seeks  every  op- 
portunity of  quenching  its  thirst,  by  gnawing  holes  in  wet  linen, 
devouring  any  moist  crumbs  that  may  lie  on  the  floor,  or  boldly 
climbing  the  milk-pan,  in  which  latter  case  it  gets  a little  too  much 
liquid,  and  is  generally  “ found  drowned  ” next  morning.  The 
wings  of  this  insect,  as  well  as  those  of  the  field-cricket,  are  very 
beautiful,  and  marked  with  an  elegant  pattern.  The  cricket  never 
appears  to  use  them  except  at  night,  when  it  may  be  taken  on  the 
wing. 

The  Mole  Cricket. — The  curious  insect  called  the  mole- 
cricket  is  not  uncommon  in  this  country.  It  inhabits  sandy  banks, 
digging  deep  holes,  and  forming  chambers,  in  which  the  eggs  are 
laid.  The  fore  legs  closely  resemble  those  of  the  mole,  and  are 
used  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  Leaf  Insect  is  an  inhabitant  of  South  America.  Not 
only  does  it  resemble  a leaf  in  shape,  but  even  color,  and  its  legs 
may  be  easily  mistaken  for  dry  twigs.  Even  the  ramified  veinings  of 
the  leaf  are  preserved  on  its  wings.  It  is  singular  that  while  some 
insects  closely  resemble  vegetables,  some  vegetables  as  the  Orchid- 
aceae  should  as  closely  resemble  insects. 

Nearly  connected  with  this  insect  is  the  praying  mantis,  so 
called  from  the  curious  manner  in  which  it  holds  its  fore  legs.  It 
is  very  voracious  and  exceedingly  quarrelsome,  fighting  with  the 
fore  legs,  which  it  uses  like  a sword.  In  China  the  inhabitants 
keep  them  in  cages,  and  set  them  to  fight  as  in  other  countries  cer- 
tain barbarians  keep  cocks  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  Cockroach  has  suffered  under  the  hands  of  housewives, 
who  express  their  contempt  of  it  under  the  name  of  “ black 


MA  Y-FL  V 


243 


beetle,”  a name  egregiously  false,  as,  in  the  first  place,  it  is  not 
black,  and  in  the  second  place,  it  is  not  a beetle.  It  belongs  to  the 
order  Orthoptera,  and  its  color  is  a mahogany  red.  But,  red  or 
black,  beetle  or  not,  it  is  a very  great  plague,  and  fully  deserves  all 
the  maledictions  heaped  upon  it,  which  are  not  likely  to  be  de- 
creased by  the  fact  that  it  is  not  even  an  ancient  nuisance,  but  one 
of  modern  importation. 

Its  unpleasant  character  has  caused  many  plans  to  be  laid  for 
its  destruction.  Among  these,  strewing  the  ground  with  the  peel 
of  cucumber,  or  with  red  wafers,  is  said  to  be  effectual  in  destroy- 
ing the  cockroaches,  but  perhaps  no  plan  is  so  successful  as  the 
glass  pan  with  sloping  sides,  which  lets  the  insects  fall  in,  but  pre- 
vents their  escape  altogether. 

The  eggs  of  the  cockroach  are  deposited,  indeed,  in  little  cases 
or  purses,  something  like  those  of  the  shark,  but  without  the  strings. 
Down  one  side  a thick  toothed  ridge  runs,  and  by  this  ridge  the 
young  escape  when  hatched.  The  male  cockroach  is  furnished 
with  very  handsome  wings,  while  the  female  is  entirely  destitute 
of  these  organs,  and  only  possesses  four  little  scales  to  mark 
their  position. 

The  Common  May-fly  is  so  well  known  an  insect  that  it 
needs  no  long  description.  It  is  the  fly  so  familiar  to  anglers  un- 
der the  name  of  the  “ Drake.”  It  is  to  be  found  in  swarms  in 
the  end  of  May  and  the  beginning  of  June,  rising  and  falling  in 
the  air  in  its  peculiarly  undulating  manner. 

The  May-fly  spends  the  first  portion  of  its  existence  in  the 
water,  under  the  shape  of  longish  grub,  with  leaf-like  appendages 
to  its  tail.  About  May  the  grubs  may  be  seen  to  leave  the  water, 
and  to  crawl  up  the  banks  or  climb  the  stems  of  aquatic  plants. 
The  skin  then  splits,  and  the  May-fly  creeps  out.  But  it  cannot 
immediately  fly,  as  its  wings  are  soft,  and  like  two  split  peas.  A 


244 


DRAGON  FLY. 


short  interval  of  exercise  in  the  open  air  soon  loosens  them,  and 
they  are  gradually  shaken  out  until  they  have  attained  their  full 
size,  when  the  insect  flies  off.  There  is,  however,  another  change 
yet.  In  a short  time,  the  May-fly  again  settles,  and  sheds  the  en- 
tire skin  a second  time,  even  including  the  covering  of  the  wings. 
These  cast  skins  are  often  found  sticking  on  the  bark  of  willow- 
trees  by  the  side  of  waters,  and  are  mistaken  for  dead  May-flies. 


THE  GREAT  DRAGON-FLY. 


The  Dragon-fly. — Well  do  the  dragon-flies  deserve  their 
name.  Fierce,  voracious,  active,  and  powerful,  they  are  a scourge 
to  the  insects.  They  are  on  the  wing  nearly  the  whole  day,  seiz- 
ing, and  devouring  flies,  spiders,  and  various  insects  ; nor  can  even 
the  broad-winged  butterfly  escape  them  ; so  voracious  are  they, 
that  when  held  in  the  hand  they  will  devour  flies,  etc.,  if  held 
within  their  reach,  and  they  have  even  been  known,  when  their 


ANT-LION. 


245 


bodies  have  been  severed  in  two,  to  eat  flies,  although  they  had  no 
stomach  to  put  them  in.  I once  caught  a dragon-fly  in  my  net, 
and  while  holding  it  by  the  wings  I presented  to  it  no  less  than 
thirty-seven  large  large  flies  in  rapid  succession,  all  of  which  it 
devoured,  together  with  four  long-legged  spiders.  It  would  pro- 
bably have  eaten  as  many  more  had  I not  been  tired  of  catching 
flies  for  it. 

The  larva  of  the  dragon-fly  inhabits  the  water,  and  is  quite  as 
voracious  as  in  its  perfect  state.  Affixed  to  its  head  is  a curious  set 
of  organs,  called  the  mask,  which  it  can  extend,  and  use  for  the 
putpose  of  seizing  its  prey,  and  holding  it  to  its  mouth. 

The  Ant-Lion. — This  insect  in  its  perfect  form,  although  it  is 
very  elegant,  exhibits  no  peculiarity  worthy  of  notice,  but  in  its 
larva  state  its  habits  are  so  extraordinary  as  to  have  excited  general 
attention.  As  it  is  slow  and  awkward  in  its  movements,  it  has 
recourse  to  stratagem  for  capturing  the  agile  insects  on  which  it  feeds. 

Choosing  a light  sandy  soil,  it  digs  for  itself  a conical  pit,  at 
the  bottom  of  which  it  conceals  itself,  leaving  only  its  jaws  ex- 
posed. When  an  unwary  insect  approaches  too  near  the  edge  of 
the  pit,  the  sand  gives  away,  and  down  rolls  the  insect  into  the 
very  teeth  of  the  concealed  ant-lion,  who  instantly  pierces  its  prey 
with  its  calliper-shaped  fangs,  and  sucks  out  its  juices  through  the 
jaws,  which  are  hollow.  Should,  however,  the  ant-lion  miss  its 
prey,  and  the  insect  endeavor  to  escape,  its  captor  instantly  makes 
such  a turmoil  by  tossing  up  the  sand  with  its  closed  jaws,  and 
covering  each  side  of  the  pit  with  the  moving  grains,  that  the 
insect  is  tolerably  certain  to  be  brought  down  to  the  bottom,  and  is 
seized  by  the  ant-lion,  who  immediately  drags  it  below  the  sand. 
When  the  insect  is  very  strong  and  struggles  hard  to  escape,  the 
ant-lion  shakes  it  about  as  a dog  does  a rat,  and  beats  it  against  the 
ground  until  it  is  disabled. 


246 


TERMITES \ OR  WHITE  ANTS. 


The  Termites,  or  White  Ants,  as  they  are  very  erroneously 
called,  belong  to  the  Neuroptera,  and  are  therefore  not  ants  at  alh 
These  insects  live  in  large  societies,  and  build  edifices,  sometimes 
of  enormous  size,  and  almost  as  hard  as  stone.  Twelve  feet  in 
height  is  quite  common,  so  that  were  we  to  compare  our  works 
with  theirs,  St.  Peter’s  in  Rome  and  the  Capitol  at  Washington  fall 
infinitely  short  of  the  edifices  constructed  by  these  little  creatures. 

The  common  termite  inhabits  Africa.  Not  only  does  it  build 
these  houses,  but  runs  galleries  undergound,  as  curiously  enough, 
although  blind,  it  always  works  either  at  night  or  in  darkness.  In 
each  house  or  community,  there  are  five  different  kinds  of  termites  : 
1,  the  single  male,  or  king,  whose  life  is  very  short ; 2,  the  single 
female,  or  queen : these  are  the  perfect  insects,  and  have  had 
wings,  but  have  lost  them  soon  after  their  admission  into  their 
cell ; they  also  have  eyes ; 3,  the  soldiers  or  fighting  men : these 
possess  large  jaws,  do  no  work,  but  repel  adversaries  and  watch  as 
sentinels ; 4,  the  pupae,  who  resemble  the  workers,  except  that 
they  possess  the  rudiments  of  wings  ; and  5,  the  larvae,  or  workers. 
These  do  all  the  work , i.  e. , they  collect  food,  attend  to  the  queen, 
and  watch  over  the  eggs  and  young,  and  build  and  repair  their 
castle.  These  are  more  numerous  than  all  the  other  kinds. 

On  the  approach  of  the  rainy  season,  the  pupae  obtain  wings 
and  issue  forth  in  swarms.  Few,  however,  survive.  Myriads  are 
devoured  by  birds,  reptiles,  and  even  by  man ; and  many  are  car- 
ried out  to  sea  and  perish  there.  Those  that  do  escape  are  speedily 
found  by  the  laborers,  who  inclose  a pair  in  a clay  cell  from  which 
they  never  emerge.  The  male  soon  dies,  but  the  female,  after 
rapidly  increasing  to  nearly  three  inches  in  length  and  one  in 
breadth,  continues  to  lay  eggs  unceasingly  for  a long  time.  This 
cell  becomes  the  nucleus  of  the  hive,  and  round  it  all  the  other 
cells  and  galleries  are  built. 


CADDIS-FL  Y. 


247 


These  insects  are  terribly  destructive,  as  they  eat  through 
wooden  beams,  furniture,  etc.,  leaving  only  a thin  shell,  which  is 
broken  down  with  the  least  extra  weight,  and  many  are  the  occa- 
sions when  an  unsuspecting  individual,  on  seating  himself  on  an 
apparently  sound  sofa  or  chair,  finds  himself,  like  Belzoni  in  the 
Pyramid,  reposing  among  a heap  of  dust  and  splinters.  Mr.  Cum- 
ming  describes  the  habitation  of  the  white  ant  in  these  terms : 

“ Throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  plains  frequented  by 
blesboks,  numbers  of  the  sunbaked  hills  or  mounds  of  clay  formed 
by  the  white  ants  occur.  The  average  height  of  the  ant-hills  in 
these  districts  is  from  two  to  three  feet.  They  are  generally  dis- 
tant from  one  another  from  one  to  three  hundred  yards,  being 
more  or  less  thickly  placed  in  different  parts.  These  ant-hills  are 
of  the  greatest  service  to  the  hunter,  enabling  him  with  facility  to 
conceal  himself  on  the  otherwise  open  plain.” 

The  Caddis-fly. — This  fly  is  well  known  to  every  angler  both 
in  its  larva  and  in  its  perfect  state.  The  larva  is  a soft  white 
worm,  of  which  fishes  are  exceedingly  fond,  and  it  therefore  re- 
quires some  means  of  defence. 

It  accordingly  actually  makes  for  itself  a movable  house  of 
sand,  small  stones,  straws,  bits  of  shells,  or  even  small  living 
shells,  in  which  it  lives  in  perfect  security,  and  crawls  about  in 
search  of  food,  dragging  its  house  after  it. 

When  it  is  about  to  become  a pupa,  it  spins  a strong  silk 
grating  over  the  entrance  of  its  case,  so  that  the  water  necessary 
for  its  respiration  can  pass  through,  but  at  the  same  time  all  ene- 
mies are  kept  out.  When  the  time  for  its  change  has  arrived,  the 
pupa  bites  through  the  grating,  rises  to  the  surface,  and  crawls  out 
of  the  reach  of  the  water,  which  would  soon  be  fatal  to  it.  d he 
skin  then  splits  down  the  back,  and  the  perfect  insect  emerges. 


248 


ICHNEUMON  FLY— WOOD-ANT. 


The  Ichneumon-fly. — We  have  now  reached  a most  impor- 
tant and  interesting  order.  In  it  are  contained  the  bees,  wasps, 
ants,  etc.  This  is  the  only  order  where  the  insects  possess  stings. 
The  wings  are  four  in  number,  with  certain  veinings  upon  them, 
the  shape  and  number  of  which  in  many  cases  distinguish  the 
species. 

The  ichneumons  form  a very  large  section.  They  are  most 
useful  to  mankind,  as  one  ichneumon  will  destroy  more  caterpillars 
than  a man  could  kill  in  his  lifetime.  They  do  not,  as  most  other 
insects,  deposit  their  eggs  upon  vegetable  or  dead  animal  substances, 
but  they  actually  bore  holes  in  other  insects,  while  they  are  still  in 
the  larva  state,  and  leave  the  eggs  to  hatch  in  their  living  receptacle. 

I have  examined  hundreds  of  caterpillars  in  the  course  of  dis- 
section, and  have  seldom  found  them  free  from  ichneumons.  I 
took  out  of  one  small  goat  caterpillar  137  of  these  insidious  destroy- 
ers. I found  them  useful  auxiliaries  in  dissection,  as  they  had 
usually  consumed  all  the  fat,  leaving  the  important  organs  ready 
cleared. 

The  Wood-ant  is  the  largest  of  our  American  species.  It  is 
found  principally  in  woods,  and  builds  a large  nest,  which  looks 
like  a hillock  of  sand  and  earth,  intermixed  with  bits  of  stick,  leaves, 
etc.  The  interior  of  this  hill  is  chambered  out  into  a variety  of 
apartments,  and  is  traversed  by  passages.  The  so-called  ants’  eggs 
are  not  eggs  at  all,  but  the  pupa  cases  of  the  insect,  and,  if  opened, 
the  perfect  insect  is  seen  curled  up  inside. 

In  the  autumn  the  ants  burst  forth  by  thousands  and  may  be 
seen  hovering  in  clouds  above  the  nest.  Their  beautiful  wings  do 
not  last  long,  for  when  a female  ant  escapes,  and  founds  an  infant 
colony,  her  wings  are  soon  lost,  just  as  a highly  accomplished  young 
lady  gives  up  her  velvet  painting  and  cross-stitchery  when  she  mar- 


WASP— HORNET. 


249 


ries  and  has  a large  family.  Few  do  escape,  as  the  birds  find  these 
living  clouds  a most  agreeable  and  plentiful  repast. 

Ants  do  not,  as  has  been  so  frequently  said,  lay  up  stores  of 
corn  for  the  winter,  for  they  are  in  a state  of  torpidity  during  the 
cold  months,  and  require  no  food.  Moreover,  an  ant  would  find 
as  much  difficulty  in  eating  or  digesting  a grain  of  corn  as  we  should 
in  devouring  a truss  of  straw.  In  each  nest  are  three  kinds  of  ants — 
males,  females,  and  neuters,  or  workers. 

The  Wasps. — Let  us  honor  the  wasps  as  the  first  paper-makers, 
for  of  that  material  is  the  nest  composed.  The  paper  is  rough  and 
coarse  certainly,  but  it  is  still  paper.  The  wasp,  in  order  to  make 
this  paper,  rasps  off  fibres  of  decayed  wood,  which  it  afterward 
mashes  with  its  teeth  into  a pulp,  and  then  spreads  the  pulp  in 
layers,  when  it  hardens  and  forms  coarse  paper. 

The  dreaded  Hornet  is  usually  found  in  woods,  where  it  builds 
its  nest  in  the  hollows  of  trees.  A deserted  hut  is  a favorite  spot, 
and  when  occupied  by  a full  nest  of  hornets  is  not  particularly  safe 
to  enter,  as  the  sting  of  this  insect  is  peculiarly  severe.  It  feeds 
upon  other  insects,  and  even  attacks  and  devours  the  formidable 
wasp. 

The  Common  Wasp  builds  its  nest  in  the  ground,  usually  in 
banks.  The  combs  are  laid  horizontally,  and  not  vertically  like 
those  of  the  bee.  As  the  cells  are  made  of  paper,  they  will  not  hold 
honey,  nor  does  the  wasp  endeavor  to  collect  honey,  although  it  is 
very  fond  of  it,  and  never  loses  an  opportunity  of  robbing  a bee- 
hive, although  its  natural  food  is  flies  or  other  animal  substances. 
Nor  does  it  despise  sugar,  as  every  grocer’s  window  testifies. 

Very  few  wasps  survive  the  winter,  and  those  who  do  imme- 
diately set  about  forming  a new  nest.  Only  a few  cells  are  made 
at  first,  but  the  number  rapidly  increases,  until  the  nest  is  furnished 
with  about  sixteen  thousand  cells.  Some  wasps  build  nests  upon 


250 


BEE. 


, 


the  branches  of  trees,  and  others  suspend  them  from  the  branches. 

The  Bee. — This  useful  little  creature  is  so  well  known  that  a 
lengthened  description  of  it  would  be  useless.  A merely  general 
sketch  will  be  quite  sufficient. 

The  cells  of  the  bee  are,  as  is  well  known,  made  of  wax.  This 
wax  is  secreted  in  the  form  of  scales  under  six  little  flaps  situated 
on  the  under  side  of  the  insect.  It  is  then  pulled  out  by  the  bee. 


the  bee. 


and  moulded  with  other  scales  until  a tenacious  piece  of  wax  is 
formed.  The  yellow  substance  on  the  legs  of  the* bees  is  the  pollen 
of  flowers.  This  is  kneaded  up  by  the  bees,  and  is  called  bee-bread. 
The  cells  are  six-sided,  a form  which  gives  the  greatest  space  and 
strength  with  the  least  amount  of  material,  but  the  method  em- 
ployed by  the  bees  to  give  the  cells  that  shape  is  not  known.  The 
cells  in  which  the  drone  or  male  bees  are  hatched,  are  much  larger 


BEE. 


251 


than  those  of  the  ordinary  or  worker  bee.  The  edges  of  the  cells 
are  strengthened  with  a substance  called  propolis,  which  is  a gummy 
material  procured  from  the  buds  of  various  trees.  This  propolis  is 
also  used  to  stop  up  crevices  and  to  mix  with  wax  when  the  comb 
has  to  be  strengthened. 

The  royal  cells  are  much  larger  than  any  others,  and  are  of  an 
oval  shape.  When  a worker  larva  is  placed  in  a royal  cell,  and 
fed  in  a royal  manner,  it  imbibes  the  principles  of  royalty,  and  be- 
comes a queen  accordingly.  This  practice  is  adopted  if  the  queen 
bee  should  die,  and  there  be  no  other  queen  to  take  her  place. 

The  queen  bee  is  lady  paramont  in  her  own  hive,  and  suffers 
no  other  queen  to  divide  rule  with  her.  Should  a strange  queen 
gain  admittance,  there  is  a battle  at  once,  which  ceases  not  until 
one  has  been  destroyed.  At  the  swarming  time,  the  old  queen  is 
sadly  put  out  by  the  encroachments  of  various  young  queens,  who 
each  wish  for  the  throne,  and  at  last  is  so  agitated  that  she  rushes 
but  of  the  hive,  attended  by  a large  body  of  subjects,  and  thus  the 
first  swarm  is  formed.  In  seven  or  eight  days,  the  queen  next  in 
age  also  departs,  taking  with  her  another  supply  of  subjects.  When 
all  the  swarms  have  left  the  original  hive,  the  remaining  queens 
fight  until  one  gains  the  throne. 

The  old  method  of  destroying  bees  for  the  sake  of  the  honey 
was  not  only  cruel  but  wasteful,  as  by  burning  some  dry  “puff- 
ball” the  bees  are  stupefied,  and  shortly  return  to  consciousness. 
The  employment  of  a “ cap  ” on  the  hive  is  an  excellent  plan,  as 
the  bees  deposit  honey  alone  in  these  caps,  without  any  admixture 
of  grubs  or  bee-bread.  Extra  hives  at  the  side,  with  a communica- 
tion from  the  original  hive,  are  also  useful.  The  queen  bee  lays 
about  eighteen  thousand  eggs.  Of  these  about  eight  hundred  are 
males  or  drones,  and  four  or  five  queens,  the  remainder  being 
workers. 


252 


B UTTER  FL  Y—MO  THS. 


The  Swallow-tailed  Butterfly. — We  now  arrive  at  the 
Haustellate  Insects,  so  called  because  they  suck  liquid  food  through 
an  apparatus  resembling  the  proboscis  of  an  elephant.  The  first 
order  of  haustellate  insects  is  the  Lepidoptera,  containing  the  but- 
terflies and  moths.  The  butterflies  always  fly  by  day,  from  which 
circumstance  they  are  sometimes  called  Diurnal  Lepidoptera.  Most 
of  the  moths  fly  by  night,  and  are  called  Nocturnal  Lepidoptera. 
Butterflies  are  usually  lighter  in  the  body  than  moths,  from  which 
insects  they  are  easily  distinguished  by  the  shape  of  the  antennae, 
which  in  the  butterflies  are  slender  and  end  in  a small  knob,  but  in 
the  moths  terminate  in  a point,  and  are  often  beautifully  fringed. 

The  name  Lepidoptera  is  given  to  these  insects  because  their 
wings  are  covered  with  myriads  of  minute  scales,  by  which  the 
beautiful  coloring  of  the  wings  is  produced. 

The  Red  Admiral  is  one  of  the  most  gorgeous  of  our  butter- 
flies. The  color  of  the  wings  is  a deep  black,  relieved  by  a broad 
band  of  scarlet  across  each,  and  a series  of  semicircular  blue  marks 
edge  each  wing.  It  is  usually  found  in  woods  and  lanes,  where 
there  are  nettles,  as  the  larva  feeds  upon  that  plant.  It  appears 
about  the  middle  of  August. 

The  Death’s-head  Moth  is  the  largest  of  the  British  Lepidop- 
tera, as  it  not  unfrequently  measures  nearly  six  inches  across  the 
wings.  Its  rather  ominous  name  is  derived  from  the  singular  mark- 
ing in  the  thorax,  which  does  not  require  much  imagination  to 
represent  a scull  and  cross-bones.  Some  naturalists  have  asserted 
that  this  moth  makes  its  way  into  bee-hives,  and  robs  the  inhabi- 
tants of  their  honey,  disarming  their  resentment  by  a curious 
squeaking  noise  whfch  it  has  the  power  of  producing. 

In  common  with  many  other  nocturnal  insects,  the  eyes  of  the 
death’s-head  moth  shine  at  night  like  two  stars,  which  adds  consid- 
erably to  the  terror  inspired  by  its  appearance. 


L 


254 


MOTHS, 


The  Humming-bird  Moth. — This  curious  insect  is  called  the 
humming-bird  moth,  because  its  appearance  when  on  the  wing  ex- 
actly resembles  that  of  a humming-bird.  It  feeds  on  the  wing  as  the 
bird  does,  hovering  before  each  flower  and  sucking  out  the  honey 
by  means  of  its  very  long  proboscis. 

It  is  very  shy,  and  darts  off  if  the  slightest  movement  is  made  ; 
but  if  the  spectator  remains  perfectly  quiet,  the  moth  sees  no 
danger,  and  will  continue  its  meal  within  a yard  of  him.  The  moth 
appears  to  gain  confidence  if  it  is  not  disturbed,  and  in  a few  days 
will  become  almost  tame,  permitting  the  spectator  to  whom  it  is 
accustomed  to  approach  quite  closely  without  appearing  alarmed. 

The  Tiger-Moth. — This  common  but  beautiful  moth  is  found 
in  the  beginning  of  autumn.  It  runs  on  the  ground  with  such  swift- 
ness as  to  be  often  mistaken  for  a mouse.  I have  more  than  once 
seen  a kitten  chasing  a tiger-moth  among  the  flowers  in  a garden, 
evidently  deceived  by  its  resemblance  to  a mouse. 

The  larva  is  popularly  called  “the  woolly  bear.”  It  is  rather 
large,  and  is  surrounded  with  tufts  of  long  elastic  hairs  of  a reddish 
brown  color,  which  sen  e as  a defence  against  many  enemies.  When 
disturbed,  it  rolls  itself  round,  just  as  a hedgehog  does,  and  if  on  a 
branch,  suffers  itself  to  fall  to  the  ground,  when  the  long  hairy 
covering  defends  it  from  being  injured  by  the  fall.  When  the  cater- 
pillar is  about  to  change  into  a pupa,  it  spins  a kind  of  hammock, 
and  lies  there  until  it  comes  forth  as  a moth.  The  color  and  mark- 
ings of  this  moth  vary  considerably.  The  usual  tints  are : the 
thorax  brown,  the  body  red,  striped  with  black ; the  two  anterior 
wings  are  cream  color,  marked  with  bold  patches  of  deep  brown ; 
the  posterior  wings  are  bright  red,  spotted  with  bluish  black. 

The  Many-plumed  Moth  is  found  toward  the  close  of  autumn, 
usually  running  about  windows.  It  is  very  small,  measuring  barely  half 
an  inch  across  the  wings.  The  structure  of  the  wings  is  very  curious, 


COMMON  GNA  T. 


255 


each  of  the  two  anterior  wings  being  divided  into  eight  beautiful 
feather-like  rays,  and  each  of  the  posterior  into  four  rays.  Nearly 
allied  to  this  are  the  common  Feather  Moths,  the  most  common  of 
which  is  the  White-plumed  Moth,  whose  wings  measure  nearly  an 
inch  across,  and  are  divided  into  five  feathered  rays. 

All  are  familiar  with  the  Common  Gnat.  This  pretty  tor- 
mentor passes  its  larval  existence  in  the  water,  in  which  state 
thousands  may  be  seen  in  any  uncovered  water-butt,  wriggling 
about  with  the  most  untiring  energy,  or  reposing  head  downward, 
only  leaving  the  end  of  the  tail  at  the  surface.  The  reason  for  this 
is  very  curious.  This  larva  breathes  through  ’its  tail,  and  is 
moreover  enabled  by  means  of  a fringe  of  hairs  to  carry  air  down 
with  it. 

It  is  a singular  circumstance,  that  although  the  larva  lives  in 
the  water,  yet  were  either  the  eggs  or  the  perfect  insect  to  be  sub- 
merged, they  would  be  destroyed.  The  instinct  of  the  gnat,  in 
order  to  fulfil  all  three  conditions,  is  very  beautiful.  When  the 
gnat  wishes  to  deposit  its  eggs,  it  rests  itself  on  a leaf  or  twig  on 
the  surface  of  the  water ; it  then  takes  each  egg  separately,  and 
fastens  them  side  by  side  in  such  a manner  that  they  actually  form 
a little  boat,  which  will  neither  fill  with  water  nor  upset,  however 
the  water  may  be  agitated.  In  a few  days  the  eggs  are  hatched, 
when  a little  lid  opens  in  the  under  end  of  each  egg,  and  down 
tumbles  the  larva  into  the  water.  After  remaining  in  the  water  for 
some  days  it  assumes  the  pupa  form.  In  this  state  it  floats  at  the 
surface  with  the  back  of  the  thorax  uppermost.  Soon  this  splits, 
and  the  insect  emerges,  standing  on  its  own  cast  skin,  which  forms 
a raft  for  it  till  its  wings  are  fully  dry,  when  it  takes  to  flight, 
leaving  behind  it  the  empty  shell  floating  on  the  water.  This 
change  may  be  witnessed  any  warm  day  in  summer. 


2S6 


GADFLY— HUMBLE-BEE  FLY— FLEA. 


The  Gadfly  has  from  the  most  ancient  times  been  known 
as  the  terror  of  the  herd.  At  the  sound  of  its  approach  the 
cattle  are  driven  almost  mad  with  terror.  The  young  gadflies  are 
nourished  under  the  skin,  where  they  remain  until  they  are  fit  to 
pass  into  the  pupa  state,  when  they  bury  themselves  in  the  ground, 
and  after  a few  days  spent  under  the  earth,  issue  forth  in  their  per- 
fect state. 

The  Humble-bee  Fly. — This  very  curious  insect  is  found  in 
the  early  days  of  spring,  and  may  be  seen  hovering  over  the  prim- 
roses and  other  spring  flowers.  It  feeds  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
humming-bird  moth,  and  much  resembles  that  insect  in  many  of  its 
habits. 

The  Flea. — The  strength  and  agility  of  this  curious  but 
annoying  little  insect  is  perfectly  wonderful.  Many  of  my  readers 
have  doubtless  seen  the  exhibition  of  the  Industrious  Fleas,  who 
drew  little  carriages,  and  carried  comparatively  heavy  weights  with 
the  greatest  ease. 

The  apparatus  with  which  it  extracts  the  blood  of  its  victims 
is  very  curious,  and  forms  a beautiful  object  under  a microscope  of 
low  power.  Its  leap  is  tremendous  in  proportion  to  its  size.  This 
property  it  enjoys  in  common  with  many  other  insects,  among  which 
the  Common  Grasshopper,  the  Froghopper,  and  the  Halticas  or 
Turnip-flies  are  conspicuous.  In  all  these  insects  the  hinder  pair 
of  legs  are  very  long  and  powerful. 


THE  END. 


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